From carl at newsfromneptune.com  Sat Feb  1 00:09:53 2020
From: carl at newsfromneptune.com (C. G. Estabrook)
Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2020 18:09:53 -0600
Subject: [Peace] Fwd: Trump has no authorization to drag us into war with
 Iran
References: <DB.62.01189.B1BA43E5@asv11mtam010.ngpweb.com>
Message-ID: <F6E93C6B-D079-49BE-B95B-F568E2180C9C@newsfromneptune.com>



> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> From: "Barbara Lee" <info at barbaraleeforcongress.org>
> Subject: Trump has no authorization to drag us into war with Iran
> Date: January 31, 2020 at 4:32:58 PM CST
> To: cge at shout.net
> Reply-To: info at barbaraleeforcongress.org
> 
>  
> 
> C. G.,
> 
> Yesterday, the House passed my bill to repeal the dangerous 2002 AUMF and prevent Trump?s war with Iran. It?s about time the House reassert its Constitutional authority to declare war and peace.
> 
> For the last three years, Trump has threatened our national security and pushed us toward war with Iran. He unilaterally pulled out of the Iran Nuclear Deal -- which was working. Then, under his direct orders, the U.S. government assassinated a senior Iranian official and conducted airstrikes without Congressional approval.
> 
> Trump is making our world less safe.
> 
> That?s why I?m teaming up with VoteVets, the largest advocacy organization representing the rights and lives of veterans and military families. Together, we?re committed to electing progressive leaders up and down the ballot to stop Trump?s dangerous policies.
> 
> We?re running out of time before our end-of-month deadline expires at midnight. Can you rush a donation between my campaign and VoteVets now to help us build the resources it will take to stop Trump?s dangerous agenda and elect progressives across the country? <https://click.ngpvan.com/k/14507894/152099002/-1162635852?refcode=em-200131-vv&firstname=C.%20G.&lastname=&email=cge%40shout.net&addr1=&city=Champaign&state=IL&zip=61820&phone=&employer=&occupation=&amount=10&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9OR1AvTkdQMTAvMS83OTMxOSIsDQogICJEaXN0cmlidXRpb25VbmlxdWVJZCI6ICJmNTQ1YWE4Mi03OTQ0LWVhMTEtYTFjYy0wMDE1NWQwM2IxZTgiLA0KICAiRW1haWxBZGRyZXNzIjogImNnZUBzaG91dC5uZXQiDQp9&hmac=APWMMnddaeqy4gML4T7r7FG3w91MtwrezIqQNxGTfUA=>
> DONATE
>  <https://click.ngpvan.com/k/14507895/152099003/-1162635852?refcode=em-200131-vv&firstname=C.%20G.&lastname=&email=cge%40shout.net&addr1=&city=Champaign&state=IL&zip=61820&phone=&employer=&occupation=&amount=10&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9OR1AvTkdQMTAvMS83OTMxOSIsDQogICJEaXN0cmlidXRpb25VbmlxdWVJZCI6ICJmNTQ1YWE4Mi03OTQ0LWVhMTEtYTFjYy0wMDE1NWQwM2IxZTgiLA0KICAiRW1haWxBZGRyZXNzIjogImNnZUBzaG91dC5uZXQiDQp9&hmac=APWMMnddaeqy4gML4T7r7FG3w91MtwrezIqQNxGTfUA=>
> In 2001, I was the only member of Congress to vote against the Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF). I received death threats, needed bodyguards, was labeled anti-American, and was vilified in the press.
> 
> But I never backed down. Even then, I saw what the AUMF would become in the hands of someone like Trump.
> 
> The next year, more people joined me to vote against the 2002 Iraq AUMF. Now in 2020, even more have joined the bipartisan fight to sunset these AUMFs for good.
> 
> I will never stop leading the fight in Congress to repeal this outdated and overly broad authorization and I want to be very clear: Trump has no authorization to drag us into war with Iran.
> 
> Split a donation between my campaign and VoteVets now to ensure that we have the resources to elect progressives up and down the ballot who will stop endless war and promote peace. <https://click.ngpvan.com/k/14507896/152099004/-1162635852?refcode=em-200131-vv&firstname=C.%20G.&lastname=&email=cge%40shout.net&addr1=&city=Champaign&state=IL&zip=61820&phone=&employer=&occupation=&amount=10&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9OR1AvTkdQMTAvMS83OTMxOSIsDQogICJEaXN0cmlidXRpb25VbmlxdWVJZCI6ICJmNTQ1YWE4Mi03OTQ0LWVhMTEtYTFjYy0wMDE1NWQwM2IxZTgiLA0KICAiRW1haWxBZGRyZXNzIjogImNnZUBzaG91dC5uZXQiDQp9&hmac=APWMMnddaeqy4gML4T7r7FG3w91MtwrezIqQNxGTfUA=>
> DONATE
>  <https://click.ngpvan.com/k/14507897/152099005/-1162635852?refcode=em-200131-vv&firstname=C.%20G.&lastname=&email=cge%40shout.net&addr1=&city=Champaign&state=IL&zip=61820&phone=&employer=&occupation=&amount=10&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9OR1AvTkdQMTAvMS83OTMxOSIsDQogICJEaXN0cmlidXRpb25VbmlxdWVJZCI6ICJmNTQ1YWE4Mi03OTQ0LWVhMTEtYTFjYy0wMDE1NWQwM2IxZTgiLA0KICAiRW1haWxBZGRyZXNzIjogImNnZUBzaG91dC5uZXQiDQp9&hmac=APWMMnddaeqy4gML4T7r7FG3w91MtwrezIqQNxGTfUA=>
> Thank you for everything you?re doing to help us in this important fight.
> 
> In solidarity,
> 
> Barbara Lee
> 
> 
> PAID FOR BY BARBARA LEE FOR CONGRESS
> 
> Barbara Lee for Congress
> 333 HEGENBERGER ROAD
> SUITE 369
> OAKLAND, CA 94621
> United States
> 
> unsubscribe <https://email.ngpvan.com/unsubscribeUnique/f445aa82-7944-ea11-a1cc-00155d03b1e8/f545aa82-7944-ea11-a1cc-00155d03b1e8?nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9OR1AvTkdQMTAvMS83OTMxOSIsDQogICJEaXN0cmlidXRpb25VbmlxdWVJZCI6ICJmNTQ1YWE4Mi03OTQ0LWVhMTEtYTFjYy0wMDE1NWQwM2IxZTgiLA0KICAiRW1haWxBZGRyZXNzIjogImNnZUBzaG91dC5uZXQiDQp9&hmac=APWMMnddaeqy4gML4T7r7FG3w91MtwrezIqQNxGTfUA=&id=107544171&emailAddress=cge%40shout.net>
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From jbn at forestfield.org  Sat Feb  1 07:54:43 2020
From: jbn at forestfield.org (J.B. Nicholson)
Date: Sat, 1 Feb 2020 01:54:43 -0600
Subject: [Peace] News from Neptune #449 notes
Message-ID: <7a2f6f5e-1f18-4a8e-e160-62807b211cde@forestfield.org>

News from Neptune #449
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwUj9wDTAiU
An "If God had meant us to vote, she would have sent us candidates" edition

A list of links to items referenced on the show.

Sunny Kim (CNBC) on "Elizabeth Warren proposes criminal penalties for spreading 
voting disinformation online"
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/29/warren-proposes-criminal-penalties-for-spreading-disinformation-online.html

Related: Glenn Greenwald reaction to Sen. Elizabeth Warren's proposal to censor 
"misinformation"
https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/1222841439597531136

> This is an awful, authoritarian, unworkable, and censorious proposal from Warren,
> no matter what her intentions are. Having the government regulate and criminalize
> the internet - by deciding what "misinformation" is - is exactly the worst
> solution to all of these problems.

George Soros on "Mark Zuckerberg Should Not Be in Control of Facebook"
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/31/opinion/soros-facebook-zuckerberg.html

William Randolph Hearst
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Randolph_Hearst




David Green's recent letter to the editor in the News-Gazette is not yet published 
online. When it appears online someone can followup with the URL for that letter.

News-Gazette letters to the editor
https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/letters-editor/





"An open letter to the Green Party about 2020 election strategy"
https://www.nationofchange.org/2020/01/25/an-open-letter-to-the-green-party-about-2020-election-strategy/
https://ibw21.org/news/an-open-letter-to-the-green-party-about-2020-election-strategy/
https://mavenroundtable.io/communityindependentjournal/politics/an-open-letter-to-the-green-party-for-2020-2lsF9NJfBkiP-mcy1NxZCQ

Aaron Mat?'s twitter post
https://twitter.com/aaronjmate/status/1223070626379902976

Anthony DiMaggio on "The Myth of the ?Electable? Democrat: Neoliberal Bankruptcy, 
2020 Edition"
https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/01/31/the-myth-of-the-electable-democrat-neoliberal-bankruptcy-2020-edition/

Shadowproof
https://shadowproof.com/

Unauthorized Disclosure episodes
https://unauthorizeddisclosure.libsyn.com/
RSS: http://unauthorizeddisclosure.libsyn.com/rss

Jimmy Dore on "DNC Stacks Convention Committees w/ Corporate Bernie Haters"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4rc6r9TVjU

Spencer Neale on "Warren vows that ?young trans person? will choose her Secretary of 
Education"
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/warren-promises-young-trans-person-will-vet-secretary-of-education





All pages on the wsws.org site mentioning "1619 project"
https://www.wsws.org/en/search.html?sectionId=&maxResults=100&phrase=1619+project&submit=Search

David North and Tom Mackaman on "A reply to the American Historical Review?s defense 
of the 1619 Project"
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/31/ahrr-j31.html

Victoria Bynum on "My Response to Alex Lichtenstein Regarding the 1619 Project"
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/31/resp-j31.html

Related: Tom Mackaman on "An interview with historian Clayborne Carson on the New 
York Times? 1619 Project"
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/15/clay-j15.html

Marxmail archives
https://www.mail-archive.com/marxism at lists.csbs.utah.edu/maillist.html





Alex Woodward on "Biden gets physical with voter in tense Iowa exchange over pipelines"
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election/joe-biden-push-voter-iowa-climate-change-2020-election-a9307146.html

Jimmy Dore on "Biden Snaps! Pushes Questioner - "Vote For Someone Else!"" (includes 
commentary on video of altercation)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSPDgGPUtTA

Adderall
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adderall

Pseudoephedrine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudoephedrine





J.B. Nicholson's notes
https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/2020-January/051809.html
https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace/2020-January/015648.html

-J

From naiman.uiuc at gmail.com  Sat Feb  1 14:09:48 2020
From: naiman.uiuc at gmail.com (Robert Naiman)
Date: Sat, 1 Feb 2020 09:09:48 -0500
Subject: [Peace] Rolling Stone: Bernie leading in donations from active duty
 troops
In-Reply-To: <CALMNhNS24OGMJMaeSh_Oa3N0CZGP5CnK9+C+uTjVDwBtMSfK_Q@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CALMNhNS24OGMJMaeSh_Oa3N0CZGP5CnK9+C+uTjVDwBtMSfK_Q@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <CALMNhNQdC7Q1hdWs6Yx7eF5M+gmySChpQdgNrL6dPeiVSz69cQ@mail.gmail.com>

Gosh, I never saw this coming. Anybody have a plausible causation story? I
can't think of anything.

It seems that the author of this piece has a causation story. Maybe he's on
to something. Who knows?

[...]

The simplest explanation for the flow of military donations to Sanders
would be his unstinting opposition to disastrous foreign wars that have
killed nearly 7,000 troops and left tens of thousands more maimed, burned,
or psychologically scarred ? to speak only of the domestic costs.
Two-thirds of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans now say that the wars were not
worth fighting, according to the Pew Research Center
<https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/07/10/majorities-of-u-s-veterans-public-say-the-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-were-not-worth-fighting/>.
Yet there are still thousands of soldiers and marines deployed to both
countries. American casualties in Afghanistan are at their highest level in
five years
<https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2019/12/30/new-in-2020-army-combat-casualties-trend-upwards-into-2020/>.
The U.S.-backed government is now killing more civilians than the Taliban
<https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/24/world/asia/afghanistan-civilian-casualties-united-nations.html>
.

Trump?s initial appeal to the troops was likely down to the isolationist
platform he ran on in 2016, but over the past three years, the president
has shown that he lacks the leadership ability to overcome the inertia of
the bipartisan war machine. Trump has only succeeded in reducing the
American headcount in northern Syria ? the one place where the U.S.
military was actually achieving its stated mission, the defeat of the
Islamic State. The rank betrayal
<https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-syria-kurds-turkey-isis-898524/>
of
our Kurdish allies was as poorly timed as it was faithless, and must have
sent waves of disgruntlement through the Army and Marine Corps. By now,
military voters have probably figured out that Trump?s anti-war streak is
fickle and phony. He has not ended the war in Afghanistan. He has made
things worse in Iraq, stirring up the militias and provoking conflict with
Iran. Nobody in the military wants war with that country; it would be a
bloodbath. After dishonoring the United States in Syria, Trump sent more
troops to protect his cronies in Saudi Arabia. He?s in some kind of weird
cahoots with the ruler of Turkey, no friend of the USA. He continues to
back Mohammed bin Salman?s shameful war in Yemen, over the objections of
Congress.

Sanders has consistently excoriated Trump for all of this ? and tried to
thwart him in the Senate, especially on Yemen. When other Democratic
candidates criticize Trump?s violent overseas directives, they tend to do
so in a way that is hedged or equivocal. After Trump had Iranian Gen.
Qassem Soleimani killed ? a reckless international crime that proximately
caused the downing of a civilian airliner ? several Democratic contenders
chided the president for his poor timing and failing to consult with
Congress, but they mostly talked about
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNHrIa3K2Ik> what an evil guy Suleimani
was and how much American blood he allegedly had on his hands. Sanders, by
contrast, was unequivocal in describing the drone strike as an
assassination ? an illegal practice under United States and international
law. ?I was right about Vietnam,? he tweeted on January 3rd. ?I was right
about Iraq. I will do everything in my power to prevent a war with Iran. I
apologize to no one.?
[...]

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/bernie-sanders-leads-trump-all-2020-candidates-in-donations-from-active-duty-troops-946188/
Bernie Sanders Leads Trump, All 2020 Candidates in Donations From
Active-Duty Troops

The Vermont senator outpaces Trump in military fundraising and has doubled
his nearest Democratic rival

By SETH HARP  <https://www.rollingstone.com/author/seth-harp/>


No other 2020 candidate for president, including Donald Trump
<https://www.rollingstone.com/t/donald-trump/>, can come close to
matching Bernie
Sanders <https://www.rollingstone.com/t/bernie-sanders/>? level of support
among members of the U.S. military, to go by the most recent campaign
finance data from the Federal Election Commission.

Soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines have donated a total of $185,625 to
Sen. Sanders? 2020 campaign. By comparison, they have given $113,012 to
Trump, $80,250 to Pete Buttigieg, $64,604 to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and a
relatively paltry $33,045 to former Vice President Joe Biden, according to
Doug Weber, a senior researcher at the Center for Responsive Politics.

For every candidate in the 2020 race, the CRP maintains a list of the 20
companies or institutions whose employees have given the most money to his
or her campaign. Remarkably, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Air
Force, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Veterans Affairs
all separately appear on Sanders? list
<https://www.opensecrets.org/2020-presidential-race/contributors?id=N00000528>,
comprising 5 of his top 20. The largest service branch, the U.S. Army,
comes in at number 11, with $65,395 in total donations. That?s just behind
Walmart, whose employees gave $69,523.

Sanders? support from employees of Walmart
<https://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-employees-donations-to-bernie-sanders-campaign-2019-7>
, Amazon
<https://www.newsweek.com/amazon-employees-among-most-common-donors-bernie-sanders-campaign-1480133>
, Microsoft,
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/04/20/tech-company-workers-are-among-bernie-sanderss-biggest-fans/>
and
the U.S. Postal Service
<https://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/american-postal-workers-union-bernie-sanders-215784>
has
been reported, but the strength of his appeal to the armed forces has gone
largely unnoticed.

If Sanders wins the nomination and his financial support from service
members translates into votes, it would represent a significant shift from
2016, when active-duty personnel were twice as likely to choose Trump over
Hillary Clinton. In 2016, the Military Times sent a confidential survey to
its 59,000 subscribers in the armed forces. The respondents preferred Trump
to Hillary Clinton by a ?huge margin
<https://www.militarytimes.com/news/2016/05/09/military-times-survey-troops-prefer-trump-to-clinton-by-a-huge-margin/>,?
and were nearly three times more likely to identify as Republican than
Democrat.

But Trump?s support appears to have waned, leaving an opening for a
Democrat this time around. In October 2018, a follow-up poll
<https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2018/10/15/support-for-trump-is-fading-among-active-duty-troops-new-poll-shows/>
found
that Trump?s popularity among active-duty personnel had faded noticeably,
with half of respondents saying they were ?unhappy? with the president. The
FEC data suggest that Trump?s standing has deteriorated even further in the
past two years, given that the troops are now donating much more to the
peacenik senator from Vermont.

Though only a proxy measure, it could be a significant bellwether. The
military employs 1.4 million people, which is not an immense bloc of voters
in a nation of 330 million, but they represent a vast cross-section of
America, from Alaska to Hawaii to Maine. The military is hugely diverse and
officially apolitical. The officer corps leans conservative, but enlisted
personnel are four or five times more numerous and harder to classify
<https://www.cfr.org/article/demographics-us-military>. Most enlisted
recruits come from Sunbelt states like Florida and South Carolina, or
deindustrialized Midwestern states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, to name a
few feeder states that are important to the election. That not one or two
but all three major branches of the armed forces, plus the Pentagon and
V.A., all appear on Sanders? top-20 list is probative, to say the least, of
his ability to convert former Trump supporters in geographic regions that
Democratic Party elites are fixated on turning blue in 2020.

The same can?t be said for the other Democratic contenders. Most of the
people who have donated to former Vice President Biden?s campaign work at a
law firm or a bank
<https://www.opensecrets.org/2020-presidential-race/candidate?id=N00001669>.
Ten of the 20 employers on Sen. Warren?s list are elite universities
<https://www.opensecrets.org/2020-presidential-race/contributors?id=N00033492>.
Buttigieg, a former naval intelligence officer, has received more from
State Department employees than any other contender, and is the preferred
candidate of those employed by agencies classified only as ?U.S. Government
<https://www.opensecrets.org/2020-presidential-race/contributors?id=N00044183>
.?

The simplest explanation for the flow of military donations to Sanders
would be his unstinting opposition to disastrous foreign wars that have
killed nearly 7,000 troops and left tens of thousands more maimed, burned,
or psychologically scarred ? to speak only of the domestic costs.
Two-thirds of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans now say that the wars were not
worth fighting, according to the Pew Research Center
<https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/07/10/majorities-of-u-s-veterans-public-say-the-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-were-not-worth-fighting/>.
Yet there are still thousands of soldiers and marines deployed to both
countries. American casualties in Afghanistan are at their highest level in
five years
<https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2019/12/30/new-in-2020-army-combat-casualties-trend-upwards-into-2020/>.
The U.S.-backed government is now killing more civilians than the Taliban
<https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/24/world/asia/afghanistan-civilian-casualties-united-nations.html>
.

Trump?s initial appeal to the troops was likely down to the isolationist
platform he ran on in 2016, but over the past three years, the president
has shown that he lacks the leadership ability to overcome the inertia of
the bipartisan war machine. Trump has only succeeded in reducing the
American headcount in northern Syria ? the one place where the U.S.
military was actually achieving its stated mission, the defeat of the
Islamic State. The rank betrayal
<https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-syria-kurds-turkey-isis-898524/>
of
our Kurdish allies was as poorly timed as it was faithless, and must have
sent waves of disgruntlement through the Army and Marine Corps. By now,
military voters have probably figured out that Trump?s anti-war streak is
fickle and phony. He has not ended the war in Afghanistan. He has made
things worse in Iraq, stirring up the militias and provoking conflict with
Iran. Nobody in the military wants war with that country; it would be a
bloodbath. After dishonoring the United States in Syria, Trump sent more
troops to protect his cronies in Saudi Arabia. He?s in some kind of weird
cahoots with the ruler of Turkey, no friend of the USA. He continues to
back Mohammed bin Salman?s shameful war in Yemen, over the objections of
Congress.

Sanders has consistently excoriated Trump for all of this ? and tried to
thwart him in the Senate, especially on Yemen. When other Democratic
candidates criticize Trump?s violent overseas directives, they tend to do
so in a way that is hedged or equivocal. After Trump had Iranian Gen.
Qassem Soleimani killed ? a reckless international crime that proximately
caused the downing of a civilian airliner ? several Democratic contenders
chided the president for his poor timing and failing to consult with
Congress, but they mostly talked about
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNHrIa3K2Ik> what an evil guy Suleimani
was and how much American blood he allegedly had on his hands. Sanders, by
contrast, was unequivocal in describing the drone strike as an
assassination ? an illegal practice under United States and international
law. ?I was right about Vietnam,? he tweeted on January 3rd. ?I was right
about Iraq. I will do everything in my power to prevent a war with Iran. I
apologize to no one.?

Another way to explain Sanders?s popularity is that service members who
already receive the sort of health and educational benefits that he wants
to make universal are less repelled by the democratic-socialism label than
other Republican-leaning voters. They understand that being able to go to
the doctor or attend college for free is not quite the same thing as living
under a dictatorship of the proletariat. Personally, I don?t know what I
would do without the V.A. The facility that I go to in Texas is convenient
and free, and the recently constructed building is beautiful. Making the
same benefits available to all Americans would have been a much better use
of the generational fortune we squandered in Iraq. That attitude is not
uncommon among the rank-and-file.

It?s possible that once the general election begins, more troops will open
their wallets for Trump, but Sanders? current advantage must be an ominous
sign for the president?s campaign advisers. Trump?s greatest strength,
aside from the purity of his narcissism, is his ability to smell weakness.
As yet, he doesn?t seem to have an edge on ?Crazy Bernie
<https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/miriamelder/donald-trump-bernie-sanders-2020>,?
the inadvertently flattering nickname Trump gave to a rival he clearly sees
as a rising threat
<https://theintercept.com/2020/01/29/trump-sanders-2020-election/>. The
Trump campaign has only recently begun to field-test anti-Sanders talking
points, and so far they mostly have to do with national security. ?Bernie
Sanders can?t be trusted to defend American lives,? said a recent statement
distributed by the Trump campaign. The president hit the same note at a
Ohio rally in early January, telling his fans that Sanders was weak on
terrorism, weak on Iran, dangerously naive, and so on.

It?s a stale and uninspired line of attack, not sharp or transgressive in
the way that Trump has gone after rivals in the past. If the number of
uniformed personnel currently giving money to Sanders is any indication,
simply calling him soft on terrorism or Iran will fall flat, in the
military and at large. That?s played-out neoconservative talk, the very
thing that Trump once rebelled against.

The CRP will have the latest FEC data the first of February, and the Trump
team ought to be worried. It?s not only his claim to being the ?trade guy
<https://theintercept.com/2020/01/29/trump-sanders-2020-election/>? that
Trump stands to lose should Sanders become the nominee ? it?s his claim to
being the real anti-war candidate in the race.
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Sat Feb  1 15:57:26 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Sat, 1 Feb 2020 07:57:26 -0800
Subject: [Peace] News from Neptune #449 notes
In-Reply-To: <7a2f6f5e-1f18-4a8e-e160-62807b211cde@forestfield.org>
References: <7a2f6f5e-1f18-4a8e-e160-62807b211cde@forestfield.org>
Message-ID: <DM6SPR01MB0044E92D966DAC93D75385F0A3060@DM6SPR01MB0044.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>


My thoughts on yesterdays program:

I agree with J. B.Nicholson in relation to third party?s and progress, if we want progress we can?t become content with lesser than achievable, as has been said ?all progress is the result of the disgruntled taking action.? 

As to Chomsky again supporting the Democrat Party, Jill Stein told me, when here in 2016, as I expressed my surprise over Chomsky?s support for Hillary, ?Chomsky has never supported a third Party.? So, he like many others is on the bandwagon of ?support the lesser evil.? 
This from the same person who never gave up informing us of the horrors of war, and US foreign policy, not just what but who, and why. He has been recently criticized for not offering solutions, leaving it to us. He is now over 90, and not a revolutionary, so we should give credit where credit is due. His support for the Party responsible for expanding the Bush wars from two to eight is very disappointing, but with the current President?s total denial of climate change, I see his Chomky?s fear of allowing Trump and his minions back into the WH. 

Where is Extinction Rebellion in the US? They are the only group taking real action on this ever threatening horror facing humanity. 

As to David?s suggestion that those of us who don?t support or join in the enthusiasm of the young people over Sanders and his socialist platform, I say, come on David we all know Sanders isn?t a true socialist, he is a ?Socialist Democrat.? Howie Hawkins gives a good definition of Bernies socialism vs. Marx on the recent Crosstalk program I posted. Though I will likely vote for Sanders as there are few alternatives out there, and Bernie is the best candidate of our one Party system in years, I know too well that if he isn?t sidelined by the DNC, and is allowed to become President, they won?t let him do any of the things he wishes to do, or needs to do to bring about change or progress. At best he?ll be allowed to not do some of the awful things we see Trump doing, and maybe reversing a few. 

 Two days ago, a woman dismayed that her sons in their twenties are excited about Sanders, and they dismiss her attempts to explain he isn?t really a socialist, I told her ?don?t rain on their parade,? they have to learn the reality of politics just as we did when supporting Obama. However, when a woman my age recently was so excited about Bernie given how awful Trump is, as she is now ?woke.? I couldn?t restrain myself with ?yeah, great but make no mistake, he is little different than Obama, in that once in power he?ll capitulate to power just as did Obama and all other Presidents before him, or he?ll have another heart attack. 

What we need is system change, not just change in the WH. 


> On Jan 31, 2020, at 23:54, J.B. Nicholson via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
> 
> News from Neptune #449
> Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwUj9wDTAiU
> An "If God had meant us to vote, she would have sent us candidates" edition
> 
> A list of links to items referenced on the show.
> 
> Sunny Kim (CNBC) on "Elizabeth Warren proposes criminal penalties for spreading voting disinformation online"
> https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/29/warren-proposes-criminal-penalties-for-spreading-disinformation-online.html
> 
> Related: Glenn Greenwald reaction to Sen. Elizabeth Warren's proposal to censor "misinformation"
> https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/1222841439597531136
> 
>> This is an awful, authoritarian, unworkable, and censorious proposal from Warren,
>> no matter what her intentions are. Having the government regulate and criminalize
>> the internet - by deciding what "misinformation" is - is exactly the worst
>> solution to all of these problems.
> 
> George Soros on "Mark Zuckerberg Should Not Be in Control of Facebook"
> https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/31/opinion/soros-facebook-zuckerberg.html
> 
> William Randolph Hearst
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Randolph_Hearst
> 
> 
> 
> 
> David Green's recent letter to the editor in the News-Gazette is not yet published online. When it appears online someone can followup with the URL for that letter.
> 
> News-Gazette letters to the editor
> https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/letters-editor/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "An open letter to the Green Party about 2020 election strategy"
> https://www.nationofchange.org/2020/01/25/an-open-letter-to-the-green-party-about-2020-election-strategy/
> https://ibw21.org/news/an-open-letter-to-the-green-party-about-2020-election-strategy/
> https://mavenroundtable.io/communityindependentjournal/politics/an-open-letter-to-the-green-party-for-2020-2lsF9NJfBkiP-mcy1NxZCQ
> 
> Aaron Mat?'s twitter post
> https://twitter.com/aaronjmate/status/1223070626379902976
> 
> Anthony DiMaggio on "The Myth of the ?Electable? Democrat: Neoliberal Bankruptcy, 2020 Edition"
> https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/01/31/the-myth-of-the-electable-democrat-neoliberal-bankruptcy-2020-edition/
> 
> Shadowproof
> https://shadowproof.com/
> 
> Unauthorized Disclosure episodes
> https://unauthorizeddisclosure.libsyn.com/
> RSS: http://unauthorizeddisclosure.libsyn.com/rss
> 
> Jimmy Dore on "DNC Stacks Convention Committees w/ Corporate Bernie Haters"
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4rc6r9TVjU
> 
> Spencer Neale on "Warren vows that ?young trans person? will choose her Secretary of Education"
> https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/warren-promises-young-trans-person-will-vet-secretary-of-education
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> All pages on the wsws.org site mentioning "1619 project"
> https://www.wsws.org/en/search.html?sectionId=&maxResults=100&phrase=1619+project&submit=Search
> 
> David North and Tom Mackaman on "A reply to the American Historical Review?s defense of the 1619 Project"
> https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/31/ahrr-j31.html
> 
> Victoria Bynum on "My Response to Alex Lichtenstein Regarding the 1619 Project"
> https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/31/resp-j31.html
> 
> Related: Tom Mackaman on "An interview with historian Clayborne Carson on the New York Times? 1619 Project"
> https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/15/clay-j15.html
> 
> Marxmail archives
> https://www.mail-archive.com/marxism at lists.csbs.utah.edu/maillist.html
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Alex Woodward on "Biden gets physical with voter in tense Iowa exchange over pipelines"
> https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election/joe-biden-push-voter-iowa-climate-change-2020-election-a9307146.html
> 
> Jimmy Dore on "Biden Snaps! Pushes Questioner - "Vote For Someone Else!"" (includes commentary on video of altercation)
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSPDgGPUtTA
> 
> Adderall
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adderall
> 
> Pseudoephedrine
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudoephedrine
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> J.B. Nicholson's notes
> https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/2020-January/051809.html
> https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace/2020-January/015648.html
> 
> -J
> _______________________________________________
> Peace mailing list
> Peace at lists.chambana.net
> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace


From carl at newsfromneptune.com  Sat Feb  1 18:21:15 2020
From: carl at newsfromneptune.com (C. G. Estabrook)
Date: Sat, 1 Feb 2020 12:21:15 -0600
Subject: [Peace] Flyer for anti-war demo, Sat. 1 Feb, 2-4pm, Main & Neil
Message-ID: <3A057CF6-C36D-44C6-A9DC-5738E5E32F12@newsfromneptune.com>

The Impeachment Show: Asking All the Wrong Questions on Ukraine
{by Maj. Danny Sjursen, USA (ret.) | January 27, 2020 | edited}

Apathy and misplaced priorities are the twin diseases of this generation. I spent Saturday afternoon January 25, speaking to a small crowd in opposition to war ? or at least opposition to escalating the existing state of war ? with Iran, during a local rally at the University of Kansas, in Lawrence, KS. 

What a far cry, a shameful fall from grace, for a college and city that was a veritable war zone in the aftermath of President Nixon?s Cambodia invasion and the killing of four students at Kent State University. Hundreds, then thousands, protested. The student union building was burned, gunfire exchanged with the police, the National Guard called in, and the entire city placed under curfew for a few days. Indeed, little Lawrence was, for years, a flashpoint city in the anti-Vietnam War movement. These days, as I flippantly mentioned in my speech, a generation of some 30,000 KU students can hardly fathom looking up from their iPhones long enough to consider a boots-on-the-ground rally in the physical company of other human beings.

Not that the KU student body isn?t ? at least vapidly ? political. These kids are passionately concerned, at least in the medium of sidewalk chalk-art and SnapChat-activism, with two major issues: identity (race, gender, sexuality) politics and of course, reflexive anti-Trumpism. These are, on some level, important subjects. Nevertheless, any serious grasp up of U.S. foreign policy, and inherent American militarist imperialism seems distressingly lacking. 

There is a general societal disease of misplaced priorities ? especially when The Donald is involved. Nearly every vaguely liberal, generally affluent, KU student one meets is genuinely obsessed with Trump: his racism, temperament, and especially the apparent necessity of his impeachment and removal. If only they ? along, it must be said, with the mainstream left-leaning media and Democratic Party establishment ? could cogently articulate just why...

Halfway through my twelve minute keynote rant, a woman ? though undoubtedly meaning well ? legitimately cut me off and bellowed, "Impeach him already!" Odd, this, I reckoned, as I lost my chain of thought. Trump wasn?t the core theme of my speech ? which focused more on the value of dissent and longterm folly of U.S.-Iran policy ? and I was quite certain I hadn?t uttered the words Ukraine, Biden, or the phrase quid pro quo. "Sure," I countered, "impeach him, but for the right reasons:" for enabling the terror bombing of Yemen, illegally assassinating a top leader of a sovereign nation, or escalating the unsanctioned chaos of American regional warfare. 

Nonetheless, the woman?s outburst, along with the multiplicity of "Impeach Him" signs in the crowd (one read: "Impeach the M*********er Already") was instructive. To wit, any rational observer (do such Americans still exist?) masochistic enough to have watched the the last couple of weeks of wall-to-wall Ukraine-gate, impeachment charade cable news coverage must conclude that Trump?s show trial has perhaps ineluctably distracted the American people. Only a misdirected, reality TV-style immersion of this caliber seems capable of elbowing the real scandals and crises of our times ? the Afghanistan Papers, egregious Soleimani assassination, and no-end-in-sight ongoing American forever wars ? straight out of the headlines.

What?s more, lost in the impeachment fiasco ? and in the collective understanding of KU students, MSNBC talking heads, and Democratic lawmakers, alike ? is any concern, debate, critique, or even tough questions about the other, potentially nuclear, calamity of the day: America?s aggressive, reckless Russia policy. Specifically, how U.S. actions in Ukraine ? under Trump, Obama, and other post-fall-of-the-Berlin-Wall presidents ? have foolishly stoked a new, equally dangerous (and highly unnecessary) Cold War with Moscow. Why was Washington considering arming a deeply problematic Ukrainian regime for a proxy war with Russia waged several thousands of miles from America?s shores? Is this prudent policy? Don?t expect to hear any semblance of such sensible discussion; not on America?s campuses, corporate cable channels, or Capitol Hill.

There are obvious holes in Washington?s Ukraine policy and the bipartisan ? but these days mostly Democratic ? policy toward Russia. First, it was two American presidents ? Bill Clinton and George W. Bush ? who provoked Moscow by expanding NATO?s anti-Russian alliance right up into the heart of the old Soviet republics and sphere of influence. It was the US, its State Department and intelligence services, that helped stoke the coup that overthrew a duly elected, Russia-friendly, president in Ukraine. And it is Washington that props up the current, questionably legitimate, Ukrainian regime, which includes neo-Nazis. Finally, it is America which has chosen bellicosity over diplomacy, by seeking to provide one side in the proxy war with lethal weapons. More than 13,000 have died in the resulting war.

The absurdist ringleader of the misdirected impeachment distraction, Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff, had the gall to announce that Trump?s alleged Ukraine interference conspiracy theory ? and presumably the whole ongoing Eastern European conflagration ? was "brought to you by the Kremlin." On the contrary, the dangerous proxy war in Ukraine and burgeoning Cold War with nukes-saturated Russia was brought to us by the White House, Adam?
~~~
Danny Sjursen is a retired U.S. Army officer. He is the author of a memoir and critical analysis of the Iraq War, ?Ghostriders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge.? Follow him on Twitter at @SkepticalVet. 
~~~
This flyer is produced by members & friends of AWARE, the ?Anti-War Anti-Racism Effort? of Champaign-Urbana <https://www.facebook.com/groups/305897426305/>. The TV program ?AWARE on the Air,? a local discussion of war news, is on Urbana Public Television, Tuesdays at 10pm (& YouTube).  		  ###
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From carl at newsfromneptune.com  Sun Feb  2 14:43:34 2020
From: carl at newsfromneptune.com (C. G. Estabrook)
Date: Sun, 2 Feb 2020 08:43:34 -0600
Subject: [Peace] Fwd: Mayor Pete is attacking US
References: <5e34c30acbebe_6ca93ff1a6925f2c494655b9@ip-10-0-0-177.mail>
Message-ID: <DE39BBC0-2A9C-4232-9231-44B1AD053146@newsfromneptune.com>



> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> From: "Ryan Greenwood, People's Action" <info at peoplesaction.org>
> Subject: Mayor Pete is attacking US
> Date: January 31, 2020 at 6:15:07 PM CST
> To: galliher at illinois.edu
> Reply-To: info at peoplesaction.org
> 
>  <https://u1584542.ct.sendgrid.net/mps2/c/6AA/ni0YAA/t.2yw/rhI2z_DYR0CCMNWnJ372yQ/h0/hhRpZZW1RfrqdNP9De00vQRlUIk-2BKhU3wA9r6CKglNJicVcNfeLtCzmRAqHYATIGfbtcSIC73mai0SY8ekqxX-2FiB5x6h7GrPIB-2BBId-2B2ohyS9e7moAu3qig-2B-2FRlO6a6iEDLbZZ5vz11d2xtrLb9BDIee-2FBYd5UVV6jsxz3B-2BKA4jH8CNUbDQyrjv8T1Ioj-2B47oNAqVdQFnX0-2F6D6p8Ef-2BPQA1sspqFN9aHl-2BB7w6H2FyNqPwd3jyXLF4E7XkmJwfF2i911k90oeqyBv5OmZpQQ-3D-3D/B0H_>
> Dear C. G.,
> 
> On the eve of the Iowa Caucuses, Pete Buttigieg is on the attack?but not against Donald Trump or even his opponents in the primary. He?s hurling false attacks at us?and unluckily for him, we kept the receipts to prove that he?s not telling the truth. 
> 
> Donate now to help us overcome these false attacks and win the first state of the 2020 primary season for Bernie Sanders. <https://u1584542.ct.sendgrid.net/mps2/c/6AA/ni0YAA/t.2yw/rhI2z_DYR0CCMNWnJ372yQ/h1/hhRpZZW1RfrqdNP9De00vQRlUIk-2BKhU3wA9r6CKglNJvKfM3fhqRwa-2B-2BYRNtJ3CuiUkteoF4PpuSLJid97r4SDifnOlff-2B70kANMgbn4Cn9yhk-2FbcGDlUF5yHB-2ByxovQ4gQrGeHhsJpSlrYbYTqZmetdh7-2Bw3HenvdKCJU-2BvU44nQRVDov8ou7jqTAuyku-2FWb4bkXOSqq5e-2Bmuhs27lqB3n3sECfFHUyrqcn7UW6KFxo8LcK8el2lobP-2BwiocdWnOtqoxv2tXnRp5k6Hcwyjiw-3D-3D/WVqs>
> Yesterday, we went public with a group effort among like-minded people-powered groups to help Bernie Sanders win his race for president. As you know, our decision to endorse Bernie was the result of a year-and-a-half-long practice of radical democracy. Our members deliberated, and Sanders came out on top. Standing with our fellow people-powered groups is the natural next step.
> 
> In response, Mayor Pete panicked and sent out a fundraising email accusing us of being part of a group of dark money super PACs.
> 
> That?s a lie, and Pete knows it. Here?s how you know it?s a lie: below is a photo of Pete participating in our Iowa forum in September, seeking our endorsement.
> 
> 
> 
> Pete knows we aren?t some dark money group - we are a people power organization, and before we endorsed someone else, he couldn?t be happier to be in the room with our members.
> 
> Let?s be really clear: Mayor Pete wouldn?t be attacking us if he didn?t know our power in the race. Our members make up a huge organizing force in Iowa and elsewhere, and when we band together with our allies, we can make a massive impact on the campaign. And if Mayor Pete were running on a platform that aligned with the vision of our members, we?d have been fighting for him, and he?d be cheering is us on. But he?s not, and Sanders is. 
> 
> The Iowa Caucuses take place on Monday. We?re throwing down there and all over the country to win this for Bernie. We?re going to face Mayor Pete?s attacks and those of other centrists with determination--but we need you with us. We are going to fight like hell to win this, and it?s going to be an extremely close finish. Chip in now to help us carry this over the finish line <https://u1584542.ct.sendgrid.net/mps2/c/6AA/ni0YAA/t.2yw/rhI2z_DYR0CCMNWnJ372yQ/h2/hhRpZZW1RfrqdNP9De00vQRlUIk-2BKhU3wA9r6CKglNJvKfM3fhqRwa-2B-2BYRNtJ3Cu7rkNddz8ppiRq8wAscu9KhDaxJ8TUZiDR-2FjCLvphu1LS4fhHR5gJVyuF-2BC2vB40utFsOpfFA-2FEkpFGzm9sXqVi5rG1zKLUR33CnuZyz-2BRmG9JO9AiagouAR1OU-2BEQRauc0oD7vCYEPIJjRq9A-2F6IRmTWKcPAP-2FOy0l3nlEV0TO8MsZjQKQ32gIeLaAOjxNVBmytdFGKOaDWdTuzBM6E7xw-3D-3D/8E9o>.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Ryan Greenwood
> People?s Action 
> 

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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb  3 13:35:57 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2020 13:35:57 +0000
Subject: [Peace] From Pepe Escobar on the Coronovirus
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB2875632D004485C9B0CBC6C1A3000@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

https://www.asiatimes.com/2020/01/article/is-china-at-its-most-vulnerable-now/
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From brussel at illinois.edu  Mon Feb  3 22:13:56 2020
From: brussel at illinois.edu (Brussel, Morton K)
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2020 22:13:56 +0000
Subject: [Peace] From Pepe Escobar on the Coronovirus
In-Reply-To: <DM6PR13MB2875632D004485C9B0CBC6C1A3000@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
References: <DM6PR13MB2875632D004485C9B0CBC6C1A3000@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <6C635077-72C0-4959-80C2-D2A892AEE43E@illinois.edu>

Another salient commentary from Escobar, ending with:


Retired US Army Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, Colin Powell?s chief of staff from 2001 to 2005, cuts to the chase: ?America exists today to make war. How else do we interpret 19 straight years of war and no end in sight? It?s part of who we are. It?s part of what the American Empire is. We are going to lie, cheat and steal, as Pompeo is doing right now, as Trump is doing right now, as Esper is doing right now ? and a host of other members of my political party, the Republicans, are doing right now. We are going to lie, cheat and steal to do whatever it is we have to do to continue this war complex. That?s the truth of it. And that?s the agony of it.?

Moscow, Beijing and Tehran are fully aware of the stakes. Diplomats and analysts are working on the trend, for the trio, to evolve a concerted effort to protect one another from all forms of hybrid war ? sanctions included ? launched against each of them.

For the US, this is indeed an existential battle ? against the whole Eurasia integration process, the New Silk Roads, the Russia-China strategic partnership, those Russian hypersonic weapons mixed with supple diplomacy, the profound disgust and revolt against US policies all across the Global South, the nearly inevitable collapse of the US dollar. What?s certain is that the Empire won?t go quietly into the night. We should all be ready for the battle of the ages.

This follows the article (link below) on China?s efforts to stem the spread of the virus.



On Feb 3, 2020, at 7:35 AM, Karen Aram via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net<mailto:peace at lists.chambana.net>> wrote:

https://www.asiatimes.com/2020/01/article/is-china-at-its-most-vulnerable-now/
_______________________________________________
Peace mailing list
Peace at lists.chambana.net<mailto:Peace at lists.chambana.net>
https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace

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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Tue Feb  4 19:25:44 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2020 19:25:44 +0000
Subject: [Peace] Bernie
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB287514017A42DE82F7F2DCA8A3030@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>


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[Party for Socialism and Liberation]<http://www.pslweb.org/?e=2df3a13664f8a0322319b0ddae502747&utm_source=psl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sanders_campaign&n=1>
Home<http://www.pslweb.org/?e=2df3a13664f8a0322319b0ddae502747&utm_source=psl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sanders_campaign&n=2>       About<https://www.pslweb.org/r?u=E7dUN257_pPM4QKUQjHyKhrM6xkLKpH7l5MQUxmnqnw&e=2df3a13664f8a0322319b0ddae502747&utm_source=psl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sanders_campaign&n=3>      Join Us<https://www.pslweb.org/r?u=E7dUN257_pPM4QKUQjHyKt93IvqkK-C861L88U_a_XE&e=2df3a13664f8a0322319b0ddae502747&utm_source=psl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sanders_campaign&n=4>    Support<https://www.pslweb.org/r?u=E7dUN257_pPM4QKUQjHyKh8537jtGYJFPP8KN3-Cqkc&e=2df3a13664f8a0322319b0ddae502747&utm_source=psl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sanders_campaign&n=5>    Sign up<https://www.pslweb.org/r?u=E7dUN257_pPM4QKUQjHyKvQyo1FAyVBr3FMD8F45Cno&e=2df3a13664f8a0322319b0ddae502747&utm_source=psl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sanders_campaign&n=6>
New article from Liberation News!<https://www.pslweb.org/r?u=ERMoazeAlLzZt_bd-zbTcPR5S9sZHBde3COy6YF0rPVeSO9fipSoH4ZejRqqsIaZol0bb6zzzZE0TvB5TnbGB_Q46X3FWJTnzue9aQMZWsFhIjLt7bOEchGEyl3nYKBKNKLjDqMEiV8JWdSu2EAyJQ&e=2df3a13664f8a0322319b0ddae502747&utm_source=psl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sanders_campaign&n=7>
The Bernie Sanders campaign and building the movement for socialism in the US
By Brian Becker
[sanders_rally.jpg]
Photo: Jackson Lanier

The Democratic Party establishment and the major capitalist-owned media have been waging a low intensity war against Bernie Sanders? presidential campaign for the past year and it?s not working too well. Now these attacks are escalating. If Sanders continues to succeed, the floodgate of scurrilous and demonizing assaults will open, just as happened to Jeremy Corbyn in the UK.

For the past 12 months, almost all of the ruling class centers of power have been arguing that Sanders is a socialist and thus ?too left;? that his medical reforms ?are too expensive? and will break the bank; that he ?can?t beat Trump;? or, in the aftermath of his heart attack, that he isn?t ?healthy enough,? which goes along well with the mantra that he is ?too old.?  Then at the last debate CNN and Warren conspired to set up Sanders as ?sexist,? yet another argument to add to the list. These attacks on Sanders have not worked.

What?s the real reason the ruling class is so alarmed?

What has become crystal clear is that the Democratic Party establishment and its echo chambers in the ?free press? clearly would favor four more years of Donald Trump over Sanders, a self-identified democratic socialist, in the White House. One must take a moment and ask why this is. By European standards Bernie Sanders would be an acceptable center-left politician. He would not be perceived as a danger to the existing social order. What is the American ruling class so afraid of? Why is the Democratic establishment trying to destroy the Sanders campaign?

The ruling class and both of its two political parties rightly fear that a new, truly radical and even pre-revolutionary mass movement can quickly sweep through the country as it did both in the 1930s and at the end of the 1960s. The Sanders electoral campaign itself is not that, but insofar as it is exciting and raising the expectation of millions who want to win substantive reforms by fighting the billionaire class, it presages what is to come. Sanders, the individual, may turn out to be an accidental political figure who spent a lifetime in the hallowed halls of the bourgeois Congress barely causing a stir, but whose presidential campaigns became a vessel and a catalyst for something more enduring ? a movement of millions of people who are demanding radical solutions to the grievous injustices caused by plutocratic capitalism.

The ironies of history

The country is badly in need of a mass, energized movement for radical change. It may be an irony of history that such a radical break from the established order could take shape from within arenas and institutions that constitute a center of ruling class political legitimacy. But history is filled with such ironies.

Nascent radical mass movements throughout the centuries have often first taken shape where the line of least resistance appears in the old order. Here, the path of least resistance is the elections. People in the United States are familiar with elections. The process, symbols and iconography of the elections are accepted as places for heated discourse and heated debate. It is the main political form that can imbue a political program with instant ?legitimacy.? In every school, it is where children are taught they must try to make change ? a point reinforced every day in the media.

The notion of making change through other means such as workplace action and street protest, let alone more militant forms, is almost exclusively learned through interaction with people?s movements and with radicals. From the standpoint of those fighting for radical and revolutionary change, a fundamental lesson is that the U.S. electoral form of government has functioned more than anything as a deception ? a way of giving the illusion of choice that masks the dictatorship of the capitalist class. That is still its main function.

Socialist tactics

But socialist tactics have to be considered and decided based on the state of class-consciousness of the entire working class, and appreciation of where we are in the historical process, and what is most essential at our current juncture. The firmly held convictions of small groups of revolutionary socialists ? for instance, that the capitalist system is fundamentally unreformable and that the Democratic Party would sooner come apart than be transformed ? is not sufficient to draw out a tactical orientation. The question is how to fight alongside and to an extent merge with masses of people who are in their own process of struggle, so that such conclusions can be tested and proven in real life.

For our purposes here, the point is that it is unsurprising that the mass reawakening of anti-capitalist and pro-socialist consciousness would register profoundly in the electoral realm, the path of least resistance. For tens of millions, it feels more legitimate and more possible to identify as a socialist or promote a socialist candidate in an election cycle rather than at a militant street protest or barricade. Given the relative smallness and limited influence of the revolutionary socialist trends in the United States, with whom these tens of millions have largely never interacted, how could it be otherwise? That the form of this struggle is currently inside the Democratic primary contest in some ways obscures its potentially radical or even revolutionary next manifestations.

The ruling class and its ?thinkers,? however, are keenly aware that such trends can morph quickly into a truly mass, militant movement against a system dominated by billionaires. The ruling class, because of its role in society, is more acutely class conscious than the classes over which they dominate. They fear more than anything a new consciousness arising from the mass of the people who, should they begin to first stir and then move together with new demands, could become an irresistible force.

The dynamic surge of the Sanders campaign both reflects the nascent mass movement for radical change and further stimulates this phenomena inside the United States ? at least so far. The last year has witnessed a wave of mass protests all over the capitalist world. The subterranean yearnings for radical change are starting to burst out into the open, above ground, and they are rattling the existing social order and the ruling classes from Chile and Ecuador to Sudan, France, Lebanon, Iraq and beyond.

This yearning for change hasn?t, in fact, come all at once. It has been developing for nearly a decade. The Occupy movement in 2011 showed the potential for it when it burst onto the political scene. It spread like wildfire before it collapsed under the weight of both state repression and the folly of anarchist tactics. The Arab Spring started with the same impetus and the same dynamism but it too collapsed for multiple reasons, including the absence of an experienced revolutionary leadership capable of circumnavigating such troubled waters, the inability to stir the countryside and the opportunist intervention of imperialism.

Three years later, the rebellion in Ferguson, Missouri, ignited another new national movement against racism and for Black freedom and equality. Rebellion and resistance are in the air once again in 2019-2020 in the United States and around the world ? and the ruling class and its two political parties inside the United States are scared. The billionaires and bankers don?t actually fear Sanders the person at all, but they do fear that his campaign is becoming a springboard for something much larger and more radical. The PSL believes that this is the primary characteristic feature for evaluating the Sanders campaign and determining socialist tactics to intervene in the current political struggle.

Sanders? insurgency against the Democratic establishment

Sanders is running against Trump but his main foes come from within the Democratic Party elites, and thus his campaign presents itself as an insurgency against the Democratic Party itself.

The adversarial relationship between the Democratic Party and the Sanders campaign is a widely recognized fact. Sanders himself said at his very large closing campaign rally ahead of the Iowa caucus, ?We are taking on the entire political establishment, both the Republican and the Democratic establishment.? Failed presidential candidate and longtime leading imperialist John Kerry was overheard by an NBC news analyst talking on the phone about ?the possibility of Bernie Sanders taking down the Democratic Party ? down whole.? Rahm Emanuel , former Chicago mayor and Obama?s chief of staff, warns of ?a rupture in the party that is irreparable.? Sources close to former president Obama say he will only intervene forcefully in the primary on one condition: if Sanders were to win in Iowa and start to gain momentum. Stopping Sanders is now their top priority.

Another issue that all socialists must consider is the extent to which this race is being shaped by both major parties as a referendum on socialism in the United States. Trump is organizing his 2020 campaign around the fight to save the country from socialism. He called Sanders a "communist," who is "far beyond a socialist." Of course he is not the first Republican to use false anti-communist attacks to attack the Democratic nominee. That was a characteristic of the right-wing campaigns against Obama too, despite him being a center-right neoliberal candidate. But what makes this year different is that for the first time in modern history, the Democratic Party is mirroring these talking points against its own candidate, emphasizing that socialism can never win in the United States.

The Sanders campaign is, at this moment, the vessel for a progressive, vaguely socialist insurgency within the confines of the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party has consistently acted against the interests of working people in the United States while trying to present itself as the only option for progresive values. It is a brake on the development of an independent and militant movement in the country. Socialists who understand that the Democratic Party is an unreformable ruling class party should support this insurgency.

After the primaries

If Sanders fails to win the nomination or has it stolen from him, he has pledged to support the party?s pro-ruling class nominee in the general election. He did the same in 2016 when he campaigned for capitalist war hawk Hillary Clinton. If Sanders again abandons his own movement by supporting a ruling class candidate in 2020 the movement should refuse to follow him; it should refuse to be a tail to the kite of either wing of the capitalist political machine and the military-industrial complex. It should continue building its own grassroots base and promoting the socialist movement in confrontation with the reactionary Democratic Party elites. That would make it a genuine resistance movement not only to Trump but also his super-reactionary war-mongering foes in the Democratic Party leadership.

In response to the attacks against Sanders, his campaign has moved to the left on domestic issues and grown in popularity, consistently broadening its base of support among young people, working class voters overall, in Black and Latino communities, among women, the LGBTQ community and other sectors of society that seek radical solutions to the grotesque levels of inequality that are the fundamental feature of late-stage capitalism. One such grotesque feature is evident in the fact that Jeff Bezos ?earned? an additional $12 billion on January 29 ? one single day ? at the same time that the media reported soaring levels of homelessness among working families.

Simultaneously, in the face of the establishment?s attacks and pressure, Sanders has either embraced the ruling-class narrative on Venezuela, China and Russia, or has offered little or very little real opposition to the dominant foreign policy positions of the imperialist establishment. Sanders undoubtedly hopes this will make him more ?respectable? in the eyes of the corporate media, but the deeper effect is to lock the budding mass socialist consciousness to the imperialist status quo, keeping that potentially radical sentiment from moving too far left in the direction of internationalism.

What does critical support mean?

Socialists can join the insurgency against the Democratic Party establishment without becoming  Bernie Sanders followers or uncritically parroting any and all positions adopted by him. Critical support to the Sanders campaign means that when Sanders takes reactionary positions there should be no holding back on open criticism.

Sanders? foreign policy positions are not anti-imperialist or socialist. Yes, he has a toned down, softer, more liberal foreign policy than the other Democrats. Undoubtedly,  governments in Cuba, Venezuela, Iran and among Palestinians would consider a Sanders presidency a big step forward by the standards of who his competitors are, and the conduct of previous presidents. But his foreign policy accepts and promotes the narrative of the empire and supports imperialist sanctions against targeted countries.

For instance, when Sanders was one of just two members of the Senate to vote no in June 2017 on a new sanctions resolution against Russia, North Korea and Iran, he made it clear that he was working within the Obama-approved framework and was not taking a radical departure from the ruling class consensus. He explained this in a video that his team produced to prove that his vote should not be considered an outlier or radical shift:  ?While I support sanctions on Russia and North Korea, I voted against the sanctions bill last week because it contains sanctions on Iran that I believe could endanger the Iran nuclear agreement. This agreement was President Obama?s most important foreign policy achievement, and President Trump has made clear his intention to destroy it. Progressives must get mobilized to protect it, just as we did with the Affordable Care Act!?

The PSL?s socialist presidential campaign & building a mass movement for change

The Party for Socialism and Liberation is running its own socialist campaign for president. This campaign will promote a genuine socialist and internationalist program and thereby provide real definition to socialism. Gloria La Riva is running for president and her running mate is Native activist and political prisoner Leonard Peltier, who continues to be unjustly incarcerated 44 years after his arrest.

Our campaign is reaching out across the country to explain the urgency of the struggle for socialism as the only answer to the existential threat to life on the planet due to climate change, the growing war danger, and deepening poverty based on job destruction. These existential crises are all based on capitalism, a system that puts the insatiable quest for profits for a small ruling class over all else.

The PSL?s program has similarities and differences with that of Sanders. We wholeheartedly support the far-reaching reforms he demands, including improved Medicare for all people, eliminating student debt, dismantling the system of mass incarceration, full abortion rights and more. Winning these much needed basic reforms will require building a mass, militant working class movement. Even if Sanders were elected president the capitalist centers of power would do everything, and we mean everything, to prevent these reforms from being implemented.

Sanders as president would not succeed in implementing these reforms absent a large mass movement. Every significant reform in the capitalist system was won through the hard-fought struggle of the people. It was not a gift from Roosevelt that gave us unemployment insurance, social security or the right to unionize in the 1930s. It was mass strikes, general strikes, sitdown strikes and factory seizures and the building of mass organizations of the unemployed. Likewise it was a radical mass movement in the 1950s and 60s that led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act in the mid-1960s, which ended the legal status of apartheid in the United States for Black Americans while also leading to the adoption of Medicare so that the elderly would have a right to health care. The ending of the Vietnam War, winning the right to abortion, the passage of marriage equality and the adoption of anti-discrimination measures protecting LGBTQ people ? all of these were the consequences of determined movements of masses of people.

The PSL, like the Green Party and other independent campaigns, will not be allowed to participate in the presidential debates ? no matter how many states we get on the ballot. The electoral system is rigged to ensure that only the two ruling-class parties are given a competitive chance to win. The two parties also make ballot access extremely complicated, expensive and subject to expanding obstacles for third-party candidates unless they are a toy of one billionaire or another.

What to do now

Although we are not Democrats, we encourage those voting in the upcoming Democratic Party primaries to vote for Bernie Sanders.

Members of the PSL will be going out to Sanders campaign events to connect with the most radical and committed layers of people drawn to his program and to build relationships that will last far beyond the current election cycle. This is consistent with our Party?s orientation to the 2016 election.

If Bernie Sanders fails to get the nomination, he says that he will campaign for whomever is the candidate, including Joe Biden, in the general election. The PSL will not follow that advice. We will urge people to vote for the La Riva/Peltier ticket instead wherever they have achieved ballot status either as PSL candidates or representing the Peace and Freedom Party in California or on other progressive third parties? ballot lines in other states.

If Bernie Sanders wins the Democratic nomination, in spite of the Democratic Party establishment?s war against him by, the PSL will not run candidates in battleground swing states. If Bernie Sanders were to win the Democratic Party nomination and then shift his campaign stance and orientation to the right to appease sections of the ruling class and the Democratic Party leadership elites, we will retain our independent capacity to evaluate, criticize or condemn such moves. Appeasing reactionaries in the ruling class only facilitates the growth of right-wing and ultra-right politics.

In the event of a Sanders vs. Trump general election, the La Riva/Peltier campaign running outside of swing states will still make an important contribution to the radicalization of popular consciousness. In a period of intensifying class struggle, independent organization and clarity on the meaning of socialism ? and how to achieve it ? becomes more necessary than ever.

Tactics can never be absolute, designed for all situations or last forever. On the contrary, revolutionaries must combine a rock-hard adherence to core principles with tactical suppleness to advance the movement for socialism under varying conditions and on shifting terrain. For now, the Sanders campaign represents a dynamic insurgency promoting radical social changes in the face of increasingly stiff headwinds from a criminal ruling class that fears the loosening of its absolute grip over U.S. politics and the economy. We support the insurgency against the reactionaries.

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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Wed Feb  5 01:03:05 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2020 01:03:05 +0000
Subject: [Peace] Germany used as a base for war with Russia
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB287568C2D53C1680A05BA45EA3020@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

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NATO exercise Defender 2020: Germany serves as military base for build-up against Russia
By Martin Nowak
4 February 2020

?Defender 2020,? the largest NATO exercise in Europe for 25 years, has gotten under way in recent weeks. For the first time in its history, the alliance is practicing the deployment of an entire division, which includes 20,000 soldiers and all of their equipment, from the United States to eastern Europe. The deployment is scheduled to be completed in March, with the return trip due to commence in June.

The German army website introduced the exercise in a video. A rapid series of pictures accompanied by heroic music serves as the backdrop for a number of facts about the operation: 37,000 soldiers and 20,000 pieces of freight cargo have to be transported and secured along a 4,000-kilometre route across Europe. They require ?refuelling, provisioning, accommodation, and IT access.?

As the ?host nation,? Germany is responsible for logistical support. Around 4,000 German army soldiers are deployed for this purpose. The logistical command centre for the exercise is NATO?s ?Joint Support and Enabling Command,? established in Ulm in 2018, which is led by the German Armed Forces Basis, the organisational arm of the German army (Bundeswehr). Lieutenant General Martin Schelleis, inspector general of the Armed Forces Basis, commented that they are looking forward to the exercise because it will allow them to put their skills to the test.

The German army?s 2018 policy doctrine underlined Germany?s importance for NATO?s military build-up against Russia. ?Due to its geographic location, Germany is a strategic hub at the heart of Europe,? the document states. ?The capacity of the NATO alliance and the EU to act? is based on ?Germany fulfilling its tasks as a host nation, as a transit country for the dispatching of forces to the borders of alliance territory and interior operational area.?

As early as 2015, the German army concluded in a strategic assessment that Germany is a bottleneck for such manoeuvres. In a piece entitled ?Herculean logistical task,? the Tageschau listed the areas requiring work: Are there sufficient train engines, freight carriages, and rest stations? Which routes can be used for transporters carrying loads of several hundred tons? Will the necessary authorisations be issued in time?

At the beginning of last year, the army reached a ?freight framework agreement? to move military equipment with Deutsche Bahn, Germany?s rail operator, worth some ?100 million.

Why are thousands of soldiers being deployed to NATO?s eastern border within the framework of ?Defender 2020?? Officially, the exercise is not directed against Russia. However, this pretence is disproven by the facts and statements from a number of leading NATO personnel.

?Russia has shown that it is willing to redraw borders in Europe with military force through the annexation of Crimea. And that has sounded the alarm bells for many NATO members, in particular our eastern neighbours,? stated Lieutenant General Schelleis at a press conference in Berlin held to introduce the exercise.

On 21 January, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg named Russia as one of three challenges, together with China and terrorism, that NATO members have to deal with. Asked about mounting conflicts between the US and Europe, he pointed out that fewer US troops have been deployed in Europe for some years, and praised the efforts of US allies to rearm. Europe and Canada have invested an additional ?130 billion in defence over the past four years, he said.

A glance at NATO?s military exercises over recent years shows why the logistical infrastructure for military transportation through Europe has reached the breaking point.

Since 2011, the annual ?Sabre Strike? NATO exercise has been held in Poland and the Baltic states. In addition, the major ?Anaconda? exercise takes place in Poland every two years and involves tens of thousands of soldiers from all NATO member states. Poland?s Army for Territorial Defence (VOT), which was founded in 2016 and is made up overwhelmingly of far-right paramilitary forces, also participates. In 2018, attacks on the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad and the Belarusian capital Minsk were explicitly simulated.

Ukraine, which is engaged in open conflict with Russia and is not a NATO member, also regularly participates in NATO exercises. The ?Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian brigade,? which was established in 2015, has taken part on several occasions in ?Anaconda.? Meanwhile, NATO has carried out its own military manoeuvres in Ukraine within the framework of ?Rapid Trident? since 2006.

Since the Ukraine crisis of 2014, which was initiated with a fascist-led coup sponsored by the US and Germany, the extent and regularity of NATO exercises in eastern Europe have increased dramatically. Under the operational slogan ?Atlantic Resolve,? the Obama administration initiated a major expansion of the American military presence. The spending for this ?European deterrence initiative? rose eightfold over the past four years to $6.5 billion.

Within the framework of the ?NATO Enhanced Forward Presence,? four combat-ready battalions of 1,000 soldiers each have been stationed in Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania since 2017. The ?NATO battlegroup? in Lithuania is led by Germany, while the other three are led by American, British, and Canadian forces. The ?NATO Enhanced Forward Presence? is supported by the ?Tailored Forward Presence,? a multinational battalion under Romanian leadership. The replacement of the units in the battalion takes place according to a rotation principle carried out under the ?Dragon Ride? operation.

In addition, the establishment of the ?Very High Readiness Joint Task Force? began in 2015. This multinational brigade of 5,000 soldiers, which is also commanded by Germany, is supposed to operate in a permanent high state of alert and can be deployed to a frontline position within 48 hours.

The previously largest NATO exercise since the dissolution of the Soviet Union took place in Norway in 2018 and was entitled ?Trident Juncture.? Fifty thousand soldiers from 31 countries, including 10,000 from Germany, took part. They practiced operations at sea, on land, and in the air. ?Defender 2020? continues along similar lines. Along with the NATO members, Finland and Georgia are also participating.

Georgia, like Ukraine, is a former Soviet republic that is being armed to the teeth by NATO to serve as a frontline state against Russia. In 2008, the small country in the Caucasus was involved in an open war with Russia, and has had an unresolved border dispute with its neighbour ever since. Nonetheless, NATO has continued to expand its military cooperation with Georgia, regardless of which faction of the right-wing kleptocracy holds power in Tbilisi.

Seventy-five years since the end of the Second World War, Germany stands at the centre of a huge NATO military build-up against Russia. The transportation of troops, tanks, and vehicles to Estonia, which is less than 200 kilometres from St. Petersburg, as well as to Bulgaria and Georgia, is taking place through German airports and ports, and along German railways and roads.

The military commanders and politicians know full well that the images of tank columns and troop transporters rolling through countries that were at the heart of two world wars is producing uncertainty, fear, disgust, anger and rage. This is why the troop movements are being carried out largely in small convoys and at night. At the same time, far-right demagogues and falsifiers of history are being encouraged politically as part of the preparations for war.

Despite the crimes carried out by German troops in two world wars, Germany?s ruling elite is determined to expand its ?leadership role? and its military capacity.

The German army?s current policy doctrine declares that the army ?must have the forces and means at its disposal to deploy after a brief mobilisation to the borders or beyond alliance territory. Collective defence within alliance territory can range from small-scale operations to an extremely demanding deployment within the framework of a very large operation both within and on the outskirts of alliance territory.? The German armed forces must ?be effectual in a hybrid conflict as it develops and escalates across the full spectrum of is effects, in all its dimensions, in a joint, multinational armed force, and in all types of operations.?

High losses are expected as a result. ?At the beginning of a very large, high-intensity operation, a huge deployment of readily available forces and equipment is necessary. Provisions to regenerate the personnel (i.e., replace dead and injured soldiers) and material will be undertaken,? stated the doctrine.

This is what the German army must now?to use the words of General Schelleis??prove with joy.?

WSWS.ORG

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From carl at newsfromneptune.com  Wed Feb  5 01:08:48 2020
From: carl at newsfromneptune.com (C. G. Estabrook)
Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2020 19:08:48 -0600
Subject: [Peace] Chomsky on Trump and Sanders
Message-ID: <B7BB1A59-50A3-480E-A3BD-9B2B659254B7@newsfromneptune.com>

Noam Chomsky: Sanders Threatens the Establishment by Inspiring Popular Movements
BY C.J. Polychroniou, Truthout | PUBLISHED February 3, 2020

C.J. Polychroniou: The impeachment trial of Donald Trump is nearly over, and what a farce it has been ? something you had predicted from the start, which is also the reason why you thought that an impeachment inquiry was a rather foolish move on the part of the Democrats. With that in mind, what does this farcical episode tell us about the contemporary state of U.S. politics, and do you anticipate any political fallout in the 2020 election?

Noam Chomsky: It seemed clear from the outset that the impeachment effort could not be serious, and would end up being another gift by the Democrats to Trump, much as the Mueller affair was. Any doubts about its farcical nature were put to rest by its opening spectacle: Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts struggling to keep a straight face while swearing in senators who solemnly pledged that they would be unmoved by partisan concerns, and at once proceeded ? as everyone know they would ? to behave and vote along strictly party lines. Could there be a clearer exhibition of pure farce?

Are the crimes discussed a basis for impeachment? Seems so to me. Has Trump committed vastly more serious crimes? That is hardly debatable. What might be debatable is whether he is indeed the most dangerous criminal in human history (which happens to be my personal view). Hitler had been perhaps the leading candidate for this honor. His goal was to rid the German-run world of Jews, Roma, homosexuals and other ?deviants,? along with tens of millions of Slav ?Untermenschen.? But Hitler was not dedicated with fervor to destroying the prospects of organized human life on Earth in the not-distant future (along with millions of other species).

Trump is. And those who think he doesn?t know what he?s doing haven?t been looking closely.

Is that a wild and ludicrous exaggeration? Or the very simple and apparent truth? It?s not difficult to figure out the answer. We?ve discussed it often before. There is no need to review what is happening on Trump?s watch while he devotes every effort to accelerating the race to catastrophe, trailed by such lesser lights as Brazil?s Jair Bolsonaro and Australia?s Scott Morrison.

The list of Trump?s crimes is immense but none merit a nod in the impeachment proceedings.
Every day brings new forebodings. We have just learned, for example, that the gigantic Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica has been eroding from warm water below. The Washington Post describes this as ?a troubling finding that could speed its melt in a region with the potential to eventually unleash more than?10 feet?of sea-level rise,? adding, ?Scientists already knew that Thwaites was losing massive amounts of ice ? more than?600 billion tons?over the past several decades, and most recently as much as 50 billion tons per year.? It has now been confirmed, as suspected, that ?this was occurring because a layer of relatively warmer ocean water, which circles Antarctica below the colder surface layer, had moved closer to shore and begun to eat away at the glaciers themselves, affecting West Antarctica in particular.? The chief scientist involved in the study warns that this may signal ?an unstoppable retreat that has huge implications for global sea-level rise.?

That?s today. Tomorrow will be something worse.

What?s causing the warmer water? No secret. This is only one of the likely irreversible tipping points that may be reached if ?the Chosen One,? as he modestly describes himself, is granted another four years to carry out his project of global destruction.

We have just witnessed an extraordinary event at the January Davos meeting of the Masters of the Universe, as they are called; for Adam Smith, they were only ?the masters of mankind,? but 250 years ago it was just British merchants and manufacturers.

The conference opened with Trump?s oration about what a fabulous creature he is. The encomium was interrupted only by a comment that we should not be ?alarmist? about the climate. His Magnificence was followed by the quiet and informed comments of a 17-year old girl instructing the heads of state, CEOs, media leaders and grand intellectuals about what it means to be a responsible adult.

Quite a spectacle.

Trump?s war on organized life on Earth is only the barest beginning. More narrowly, in recent days, the Chosen One has issued executive orders ridding the country of the plague of regulations that protect children from mercury poisoning and preserve the country?s water supplies and lands, along with other impediments to further enrichment of Trump?s primary constituency, extreme wealth and corporate power.

On the side, he has been casually proceeding to dismantle the last vestiges of the arms control regime that has provided some limited degree of security from terminal nuclear war, eliciting cheers from the military industry. And as we have just learned, the great pacifist who is committed to end interventions ?dropped more bombs and other munitions in Afghanistan last year than any other year since documentation began in 2006, Air Force data shows.?

He is also ramping up his acts of war ? which is what they are ? against Iran. I won?t even go into his giving Israel what the Israeli press calls ?a gift to the right,? formally giving the back of his imperial hand to international law, the World Court, the UN Security Council and overwhelming international opinion, while shoring up the Evangelical vote for the 2020 election. The prerogative of supreme power.

In brief, the list of Trump?s crimes is immense, not least the worst crime in human history. But none merit a nod in the impeachment proceedings. This is hardly a novelty; rather the norm. The current proceedings are often compared with Watergate. Nixon?s hideous crimes were eliminated from the charges against him despite the efforts of Rep. Robert Frederick Drinan and a few others. The Nixon impeachment charges focused on his illegal acts to harm Democrats.

Any resemblance to the farce that is now winding up? Does it suggest some insight into what motivates the powerful?

Speaking of the 2020 election, the corporate Democratic establishment and the liberal media are once again mobilizing to undermine Bernie Sanders, even though he may very well be the most electable Democrat. First, can you summarize for us what you perceive to be the core of Sanders?s politico-ideological gestalt, and then explain what scares both conservatives and liberals ? the possibility of someone like Sanders leading the country?

The core of Sanders?s ?politico-ideological gestalt? is his long-standing commitment to the interests of the large majority of the population, not the top 0.1 percent (not 1 percent, 0.1 percent) who hold more than 20 percent of the country?s wealth, not the very rich who were the prime beneficiaries of the slow recovery from the 2008 disaster caused by financial capital. The U.S. achievement in this regard far surpasses that of other developed countries, so we learn from recently released studies, which show that in the U.S., 65 percent of the growth of the past decade went to the very rich; next in line was Germany, at 51 percent, then declining sharply. The same studies show that if current trends persist, in the next decade all growth in the U.S. will go to the rich.

The welfare of these sectors has never been Sanders?s concern.

The Democratic establishment and liberal media are hardly likely to look kindly on someone who forthrightly proclaims, ?I have no use for those ? regardless of their political party ? who hold some foolish dream of spinning the clock back to days when unorganized labor was a huddled, almost helpless mass?. Only a handful of unreconstructed reactionaries harbor the ugly thought of breaking unions. Only a fool would try to deprive working men and women of the right to join the union of their choice.? By ?right to work? laws, for example, or by hiring scabs, or by threatening to ship jobs to Mexico to undermine organizing efforts, to sample the bipartisan political leadership.

That?s surely the kind of socialist wild man whom the country is not ready to tolerate.

Even more threatening than Sanders?s proposals to carry forward New Deal-style policies is his inspiring a popular movement that is steadily engaged in political action and direct activism to change the social order.
The wild man in this case is President Dwight Eisenhower, the last conservative president. His remarks are a good illustration of how far the political class has shifted to the right under Clintonite ?New Democrats? and the Reagan-Gingrich Republicans. The latter have drifted so far off the political spectrum that they are ranked near neo-fascist parties in the international spectrum, well to the right of ?conservatives.?

Even more threatening than Sanders?s proposals to carry forward New Deal-style policies, I think, is his inspiring a popular movement that is steadily engaged in political action and direct activism to change the social order ? a movement of people, mostly young, who have not internalized the norms of liberal democracy: that the public are ?ignorant and meddlesome outsiders? who are to be ?spectators, not participants in action,? entitled to push a lever every four years but are then to return to their TV sets and video games while the ?responsible men? look after serious matters.

This is a fundamental principle of democracy as expounded by prominent and influential liberal 20th?century American intellectuals, who took cognizance of ?the stupidity of the average man? and recognized that we should not be deluded by ?democratic dogmatisms about men being the best judges of their own interests.? They are not; we are ? the ?responsible men,? the ?intelligent minority.? The ?bewildered herd? must therefore be ?put in their place? by ?necessary illusions? and ?emotionally potent simplifications.? These are among the pronouncements of the most influential 20th?century public intellectual, Walter Lippmann, in his ?progressive essays on democracy?; Harold Lasswell, one of the founders of modern political science; and Reinhold Niebuhr, the admired ?theologian of the (liberal) establishment.? All highly respected Wilson-FDR-Kennedy liberals.

Inspiring a popular movement that violates these norms is a serious attack on democracy, so conceived, an intolerable assault against good order.

I believe we witnessed something similar in the last U.K. elections in the case of Jeremy Corbyn. Do you agree? And, if so, what does this tell us about liberal democracy, which is nowadays in serious trouble itself on account of the rise and spread of authoritarianism and the far right in many parts of the world?

There are definite similarities. Corbyn, a decent and honorable man, was subjected to an extraordinary flood of vilification and defamation, which he was unable to confront. At the same time, polls indicated that the policies that he put forth ? and that had led to a remarkable victory for Labour in 2017 ? remained popular. A special feature in the U.K. was Brexit, a matter I won?t go into here (my personal opinion, for what it?s worth, is that it is a serious blow to both Britain and the EU, and is likely to cause Britain ? or what remains of it ? to become even more of a vassal of the U.S. than it has been under Blair?s New Labour and the Tories, whose social and economic policies have caused the country great harm). Corbyn?s vacillation on the Brexit issue, which became a toxic one, surely contributed to the negative feelings about him that seem to have been a major factor in the electoral disaster for Labour, but it was only one.

As in the case of Sanders, I suspect that the prime reason for the bitter hatred of Corbyn on the part of a very wide spectrum of the British establishment is his effort to turn the Labour Party into a participatory organization that would not leave electoral politics in the hands of the Labour bureaucracy and would proceed beyond the narrow realm of electoral politics to far broader and constant activism and engagement in public affairs.

More generally, much of the world is aflame. As the men of Davos recognized with trepidation at their January meeting, the peasants are coming with their pitchforks: The neoliberal order they have imposed for the past 40 years, while ultra-generous to them and their class, has had a bitter impact on the general population. A leading theme at Davos was that the Masters must declare that they are changing their stance from service to the rich to attending to the concerns of ?stakeholders? ? working people and communities. Another theme was that while not ?alarmists,? they acknowledge the threat of global warming.

The unstated implication is that there is no need for regulations and other actions about climate change: We Big Boys will take care of it. Greta Thunberg and the other children demonstrating out there can go back to school. And now that we see the flaws in our neoliberal model of capitalism, you can put aside all those disruptive political programs calling for health care, rights of workers, women, the poor. We?re taking care of it, so just go back to your private pursuits, keeping to democratic norms.

As the neoliberal order is visibly collapsing, it is giving rise to ?morbid symptoms? (to borrow Gramsci?s famous phrase when the fascist plague was looming). Among these are the spread of authoritarianism and the far right that you mention. More generally, what we are witnessing is quite understandable anger, resentment and contempt for the political institutions that have implemented the neoliberal assault ? but also the rise of activist movements that seek to overcome the ills of global society and to stem and reverse the race to destruction.

The confrontation could hardly have been exhibited more dramatically than by the appearance of Greta Thunberg immediately after the most powerful man in the world ? the leader in the race to destruction ? had admonished the Masters to disdain the ?heirs of yesterday?s foolish fortune tellers? (virtually 100 percent of climate scientists) and to take up his wrecking ball.

###

From jbn at forestfield.org  Wed Feb  5 01:27:22 2020
From: jbn at forestfield.org (J.B. Nicholson)
Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2020 19:27:22 -0600
Subject: [Peace] AWARE on the Air #504 notes
Message-ID: <ce0cb78e-2695-a36a-5562-aab2672ca655@forestfield.org>

AWARE on the Air #504
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSyvM5bco58

Reminder: AWARE peace march on the first Saturday of every month at the corner of 
Main & Neil streets.

A list of links to items referenced on the show.



Dr. Jill Stein on assassinating Soleimani
https://twitter.com/DrJillStein/status/1213858241618337792

Jane Arraf followup to Dr. Jill Stein
https://twitter.com/janearraf/status/1213823941321592834

Ricky Baldwin's letter to the News-Gazette
https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/letters-editor/letter-to-the-editor-impeach-trump-for-killing-general/article_d2bdec61-aebe-5763-9d9a-0a5d01498b9e.html

Maj. Danny Sjursen on "The Impeachment Show: Asking All the Wrong Questions on Ukraine"
https://original.antiwar.com/danny_sjursen/2020/01/26/the-impeachment-show-asking-all-the-wrong-questions-on-ukraine/ 


Ben Norton's tweet
https://twitter.com/BenjaminNorton/status/1224572722237378560

Ben Norton on "The spooks? choice: Coup plotters and CIA agents fill Pete Buttigieg?s 
list of national security endorsers"
https://thegrayzone.com/2019/12/30/coup-plotters-cia-agents-mayor-pete-endorsers/
https://www.blacklistednews.com/article/75848/the-spooks-choice-coup-plotters-and-cia-agents-fill-mayor-petes-list-of-national-security.html

Elijah J. Magnier on "How Iran Decided To Bomb US Bases And How Trump Avoided An 
All-Out War"
https://iranian.com/2020/02/01/how-iran-decided-to-bomb-us-bases/
https://ejmagnier.com/2020/02/01/how-iran-decided-to-bomb-us-bases-and-how-trump-avoided-an-all-out-war/
https://www.globalresearch.ca/how-iran-decided-bomb-us-bases-how-trump-avoided-all-out-war/5702638

Philip Giraldi on "The Mysterious Michael D?Andrea: Was the C.I.A.?s Iran Mission 
Center Chief Shot Down?"
http://www.renegadetribune.com/the-mysterious-michael-dandrea-was-the-c-i-a-s-iran-mission-center-chief-shot-down/
https://councilforthenationalinterest.org/?p=5194
https://ahtribune.com/us/3857-michael-dandrea.html
https://freepress.org/article/mysterious-michael-d%E2%80%99andrea-was-cia%E2%80%99s-iran-mission-center-chief-shot-down

-J

From jbn at forestfield.org  Fri Feb  7 23:55:31 2020
From: jbn at forestfield.org (J.B. Nicholson)
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2020 17:55:31 -0600
Subject: [Peace] News From Neptune #450 notes
Message-ID: <4ddbdfed-0691-d9c5-3534-314fc980c24c@forestfield.org>

News From Neptune #450
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaMhFKPk1_Q
A "The Rest of the Story" edition

Max Parry on "Democrats Impeach Trump for Withholding Arms to Neo-Nazis in Ukraine"
https://www.greanvillepost.com/2020/02/04/democrats-impeach-trump-for-withholding-arms-to-neo-nazis-in-ukraine/
https://off-guardian.org/2020/02/06/democrats-impeach-trump-for-withholding-arms-to-neo-nazis-in-ukraine/
https://www.globalresearch.ca/democrats-impeach-trump-withholding-arms-neo-nazis-ukraine/5702750
https://newlevellers.blogspot.com/2020/02/democrats-impeached-trump-for.html

"Ukraine on Fire" trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBOJtMbGq6g

"Revealing Ukraine" documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCiQTCSgw_M -- trailer (requires age-limit 
authentication)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7uquXmOMIg -- trailer (no age-limit authentication 
required)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvjf36kram0 -- full movie (Russian audio dubbed over 
English audio)
I'd expect that this will become available on YouTube, Vimeo, etc. in time.


Chris Hedges interview with Seth Siegel on poisoned drinking water
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRuDM-srsdI

-J

From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 10 16:21:36 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2020 08:21:36 -0800
Subject: [Peace] A podcast everyone should hear
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB2875B78BCCFD40A5BCF1FA46A3190@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>


A very worthwhile listen:

https://therealnews.com/stories/capitalism-structural-ideological-crisis-neo-fascism <https://therealnews.com/stories/capitalism-structural-ideological-crisis-neo-fascism>
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 10 16:21:36 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2020 08:21:36 -0800
Subject: [Peace] A podcast everyone should hear
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB2875B78BCCFD40A5BCF1FA46A3190@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>


A very worthwhile listen:

https://therealnews.com/stories/capitalism-structural-ideological-crisis-neo-fascism <https://therealnews.com/stories/capitalism-structural-ideological-crisis-neo-fascism>
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 10 16:48:09 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2020 08:48:09 -0800
Subject: [Peace] The transcript to the podcast from TRNN with Prof. Robinson
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB28753A8F7E02832A77873543A3190@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>


 <https://therealnews.com/print-layout/?pType=transcript&pID=186820>Story Transcript
Abridged Transcript (full transcript below)
As the impeachment trial of President Trump comes to an end, many are asking themselves, what was this about? Is it about stopping an authoritarian president from abusing presidential power, or is there something deeper at work? In other words, if the Republican and Democratic parties are, for the most part, merely representatives of different wings of the same US elite, that is of its business class, then perhaps the impeachment process is actually a big public spectacle of infighting within the US ruling class.
Professor William I. Robinson presents such an alternative conception of the Trump impeachment process. He?s a professor of sociology and global and Latin American studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He recently published an article for the Journal of Science and Society titled ?Global Capitalist Crisis and 21st Century Fascism: Beyond the Trump Hype <http://robinson.faculty.soc.ucsb.edu/Assets/pdf/FascismbeyondTrump.pdf>.?
We divided this conversation into two parts. In this first part we take a look at what 21st century fascism is, where does it come from, and how is it different from 20th century fascism, and how does Trump fit into this phenomenon? Then in part two, we examine the idea that the impeachment process is actually a struggle within the US elite.
With regard to the first part, and with regard to the rise of fascism, we have seen a tremendous rise of the far right and even of neo-fascist leaders and parties around the world in the past few years. The governments in Brazil, the Philippines, Hungary, Turkey, India, Poland, Italy, are all governed by the far right. Then, practically all countries in the world have far right political parties that have been on the rise. Now this rise of far right and even neo-fascist parties and movements is unprecedented since the 1930s. What is happening? Why is this happening now?
William I. Robinson: We have to look at the larger context here. We have to step back from the headlines, the impeachment headlines. We have to step back, for the moment, from the dynamics of Trumpism and we have to see that global capitalism is in crisis. It is in the deepest crisis at this point since the 1930s and that is the larger backdrop to all of these headlines around the world. That crisis has two dimensions. One is a structural dimension, and I?ll mention a little more about that momentarily, but the dimension of this crisis is one of state legitimacy in a capitalist economy.
What I mean by that is that the masses of people around the world no longer consider that the system is legitimate, that their governments are legitimate. There?s a growing popularity of socialism. And there?s this worldwide protest every day as we speak throughout Latin America and all throughout the world, this upsurge of popular rebellion from below. And the system cannot meet the needs of the majority and it is spiraling into this general crisis of capitalist rule.
So, the two forces that are on the ascent worldwide are on the one hand, these popular radical forces from below and the turn to the left. And then secondly, the rise of the far right that you mentioned in the introduction. We must see that fascism is at all times a response to capitalist crisis. It was a response to capitalist crisis in the 1930s and the 1940s and it is a response to capitalist crisis now in the early 21st century.
The ruling elites worldwide and the capitalist class worldwide has not been able to resolve this structural crisis and we know that global inequalities are reaching unprecedented proportion.
In this situation, capitalism enters into a structural crisis because the global economy is producing this massive amount of wealth, unprecedented wealth, and yet it cannot be absorbed by the global market because of the vast majority of moving downward and don?t have the income or the ability to really consume.  This leads to stagnation in the system.
How do you face up to this stagnation? How do you keep making profits and accumulating? And in the last 10 years since the 2008 collapse, but even before then, the system has turned to several mechanisms which are not resolving the structural crisis, they?re only prolonging it and one is unprecedented debt. Secondly, there has been this wild speculation in the global economy. A third mechanism has been investing all of these resources into the tech sector.
The fourth big way in which the global economy is moving forward in the face of this stagnation is militarized accumulation and accumulation by repression. Now wars and conflicts worldwide become major outlets for profit making or unloading that over accumulated capital in the face of these stagnation tendencies and they?re wildly profitable and not just worsen conflicts that we see all over, but also systems of social control and repression become wildly profitable. The persecution of immigrants and private immigrant detention centers become wildly profitable.
How do you control the global working class, which is rising up worldwide, which now sees the system as illegitimate? How do you resolve this crisis of legitimacy of capitalist hegemony? And this is where we want to start talking about 21st century fascism.
20th century fascism, is a triangulation of three things that came together. One was reactionary and repressive political power in the state. The second dimension was that political power aligned with and met the needs of national capitalist groups, an alliance of the state with capital around the fascist project. The third dimension of a fascist project in the 20th century, but this also holds for the 21st century, is a mobilization of fascist forces and ideologies in civil society.
But there?s a key difference between 20th and 21st century fascism. 20th century fascism brought together these repressive fascist governments and forces and civil society with national capitalist groups. Now, what we?ve seen in the age of globalization from the late 20th century and on, is that now capital is largely transnational. That?s why I speak about a transnational capitalist class. This fascist project is linking together with transnational capital, that?s one big difference. The other big difference is that there was a very powerful socialist and trade union and communist movements in the 1930s that were crushed by fascism. But now we have this mass rebellion from below, but we don?t have organized socialist and communist movements and trade unions are weak around the world. They?re gaining strength, but they?re now very weak.
One way to contain the grassroots is to create systems of mass incarceration where surplus humanity is locked up. But this other way emerging is this 21st century fascism.
What 20th and 21st century fascism share is the need that the fascist mobilization has for scapegoats. The fascist mobilization has to identify scapegoats to channel this social anxiety. The fascist project seeks to channel that social anxiety, those political tensions towards scapegoating communities.
Trumpism thus hinges around, for instance, the anti-immigrant rhetoric and the anti-immigrant campaign as a scapegoating. In the United States, significant portions of the white working class were quite privileged. They had rising standards of living and homes and secure jobs and so forth. Under capitalist globalization, there?s the majority of white workers who are moving with this downward mobility in this destabilization. Trump?s social base is really tenacious, and it is largely, not exclusively, but largely what were privileged sectors of the white working class that are now experiencing downward mobility and destabilization.
 
 
Full Transcript:
GREG WILPERT: Welcome to The Real News Network. I?m Greg Wilpert in Arlington, Virginia.
As the impeachment trial of President Trump comes to an end, many are asking themselves: ?What was this about? Is it about stopping an authoritarian president from abusing presidential power, or is there something deeper at work?? In other words, if the Republican and Democratic parties are, for the most part, merely representatives of different wings of the same US elite?that is of its business class?then perhaps the impeachment process is actually a big public spectacle of infighting within the US ruling class.
Joining me to discuss this alternative conception of the Trump impeachment process is William I. Robinson. He?s a professor of sociology and global and Latin American studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He recently published an article for the Journal of Science and Society titled Global Capitalist Crisis and 21st Century Fascism: Beyond the Trump Hype. Thanks for joining us again, Bill.
WILLIAM I ROBINSON: It?s a pleasure to be back.
GREG WILPERT: First of all, I want to recommend to our viewers the article in Science and Society that I just mentioned. I think it does an excellent job of outlining what the Trump phenomenon is about. We will link to the article in our website. Now, I want to divide this conversation into two parts. In this first part I?d like to take a look at what 21st century fascism is, where does it come from, and how is it different from 20th century fascism, and how does Trump fit into this phenomenon? Then in part two, I?d like to examine the idea that the impeachment process is actually a struggle within the US elite.
With regard to the first part, and with regard to the rise of fascism, we have seen a tremendous rise of the far right and even of neo-fascist leaders and parties around the world in the past few years. There?s governments in Brazil, the Philippians, Hungary, Turkey, India, Poland, Italy, all governed by the far right. Then, practically all countries in the world have far right political parties that have been on the rise. Now this rise of far right and even neo-fascist parties and movements is unprecedented since the 1930s. My question is what is happening? Why is this happening now?
WILLIAM I ROBINSON: We have to look at the larger context here. We have to step back from the headlines, the impeachment headlines, and I know we?ll be talking about that in part two. We have to step back, for the moment, from the dynamics of Trumpism and we have to see that the global capitalism is in crisis. It is in the deepest crisis at this point since the 1930s and that is the larger backdrop to all of these headlines around the world. So the things that you just mentioned in the introduction to the upsurge in popular radical struggles from below to the impeachment and so forth. And that crisis has two dimensions that we want to focus on. One is a structural dimension, and I?ll mention a little more about that momentarily, but the dimension of this crisis is one of state legitimacy in a capitalist antimony.
And what I mean by that is that the masses of people around the world no longer consider that the system is legitimate, that their governments are legitimate. There?s a growing popularity of socialism. I?m sure the Real News Network viewers have seen that a poll was just released showing that over 50% of women in the United States now prefer socialism over capitalism and that is remarkable. And there?s this worldwide protest every day as we speak throughout Latin America and all throughout the world, this upsurge of popular rebellion from below. And the system cannot meet the needs of the majority and it is spiraling into this general crisis of capitalist rule. And that?s the context in which we need to see the rise of 21st century fascism. But let me say something also that we?re seeing with this rise in 21st century?s fascism, also a sharp political polarization worldwide.
So the two forces that are on the ascent worldwide are on the one hand, these popular radical forces from below and the turn to the left. And then secondly, the rise of the far right that you mentioned in the introduction. So if we?re talking about this threat of fascism, we must see that fascism is at all times a response to capitalist crisis. It was a response to capitalist crisis in the 1930s and the 1940s and it is a response to capitalist crisis now in the early 21st century. And I?m going to, in a few minutes mention a concept which is very useful to understand this global police state. But before I go there, I want to go back to the structural dimension of the crisis. The ruling elites worldwide and the capitalist class worldwide has not been able to resolve this structural crisis and we know that global inequalities are reaching unprecedented proportion. I?m sure that many of the listeners and viewers know this data.
In fact, the Oxfam just released its most recent report on global inequality to coincide with the World Economic Forum Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. And they pointed out the 2,300 billionaires now have more wealth than 5 billion people, most of the people on the planet. But the more significant data Oxfam came out with three years ago, and it is that 1% of humanity controls over 50% of the world?s wealth. 20% of humanity, that would be that portion that might be able to survive in these new mean streets of globalized capitalism, but even they have difficulty surviving. They control 94.5% of the world?s wealth. That means that 80% of the world?s population has a near a 4.5% of the world?s wealth and so in this situation, capitalism enters into a structural crisis because the global economy is producing this massive amount of wealth, unprecedented wealth, and yet it cannot be absorbed by the global market because of the vast majority of moving downward and don?t have the income or the ability to really consume. So this leads to stagnation in the system.
And we know that the global economy has been, it entered into a major crisis in 2008 and it has been largely stagnant ever since and we?re teetering on the verge right now of another global recession. So the system has a challenge of how do you keep accumulating in the face of this structural crisis. And let me just remind you where I?m going with this. I?m going to get to the political dimension of this crisis and that?s where the threat of 21st century fascism comes in. But we first need to see its structural grounding. So the ruling groups have this challenge of how do you keep the global economy going? How do you face up to this stagnation? How do you keep making profits and accumulating? And in the last 10 years since the 2008 collapse, but even before then, the system has turned to several mechanisms which are not resolving the structural crisis, they?re only prolonging it and one is unprecedented debt.
We know that corporate debt worldwide, we know that state debt worldwide, and consumer debt worldwide are at all-time highs and it?s not sustainable. That debt, the mounting debt means that the global economy sputters forward, but that mounting debt is not sustainable. Secondly, there has been this wild speculation in the global economy. We can really call it a global casino. The numbers are just mind boggling that 1.4 quadrillion dollars are speculated each year compared to just 75 trillion. 1.4 quadrillion dollars compared to $75 trillion as the whole global production of goods and services. So this wild speculation cannot continue either. And then a third mechanism has been forming all of these resources into the tech sector. If you follow the economic headlines, you see that there are now companies that are valued, their stocks are valued at over a trillion dollars and there is a new round of digitalization taking place, but that?s not going to resolve this structural crisis.
So finally, and now this is going to be the link between the politics and the economics of 21st century fascism. The other big way in which the global economy is moving forward in the face of this stagnation is what I called in that article, but I quote more generally, militarized accumulation and accumulation by repression.And what do I mean by that? I mean that now wars and conflicts worldwide become major outlets for profit making or unloading that over accumulated capital in the face of these stagnation tendencies and they?re wildly profitable and not just worsen conflicts that we see all over, but also systems of social control and repression become wildly profitable. The persecution of immigrants and private immigrant detention centers become wildly profitable. All of the systems in place in the Mediterranean and being expanded in Mediterranean for refugees coming from North Africa and the Middle East. These are wildly profitable. They are forms of accumulating capital in the face of over accumulation in the face of this stagnation, the structural dimension of the crisis.
I could go on with that, but let me now shift focus to this accumulation by repression will so and the challenge that the system faces here is how do you contain this rebellion from below? How do you control the global working class, which is rising up worldwide, which now sees the system as illegitimate? How do you resolve this crisis of legitimacy of capitalist hedgemony? And this is where we want to start talking about 21st century fascism. And I would add that expanding systems of transnational social control and of repression is wildly profitable, but it is also aimed at containing that rebellion from below, including from surplus humanity. We know up to a third of the world?s population is simply locked out and made surplus.
GREG WILPERT: Before you go onto the issue of fascism, I want to clarify that term also. I mean, in the sense of, you talk about also there being a difference between 20th and 21st century fascism. So first of all, what?s the difference and how does 21st century fascism resolve the issues that you?re talking about?
WILLIAM I ROBINSON: Right, well, I mean, working backwards, it doesn?t resolve. It?s not going to resolve. I mean, the ruling groups are rudderless. They don?t know where they?re going with this. They?re not going to be able to resolve these issues, but certain groups are certainly trying with this fascist mobilization. So let me say that 20th century fascism, we can analyze it as a triangulation of three things that came together. One was reactionary and repressive political power in the state. So obviously you have the Nazis in Germany, you have Mussolini in Italy, you have Franco in Spain, but you also had in the 1930s, you had fascist movements in the United States and in other parts of the world. In many of those places, those fascist movements were not able to capture the state. But that?s the first element for the 20th century fascism where this reactionary and very repressive political power.
The second dimension was that political power aligned with and met the needs of national capitalist groups. So when we studied fascism in Germany, we know that Nazis controlling the state, did everything that a German capitalist needed to expand and make profit. And so you have that alliance of the state with capital around the fascist project. But the third dimension of a fascist project in the 20th century, but this also holds for the 21st century, is a mobilization of fascist forces and ideologies in civil society. So of course the Nazis were not just in the state, there was massive movements in civil society. The thing with Mussolini, the same thing now in the United States and now in India and in Palestine and Israel and around the world, which is why, Greg, and I know you will know, you?re both Latin American, spent many years in Latin America, which is why a lot of the far right regimes in Latin America, I would not say are 21st century fascist. You have a dictatorship in Honduras, but it?s not fascist.
So the key ingredient is when these three things come together and we do see a rapid fascist mobilization in civil society in the United States, everyone knows that if you just follow the headlines, not just the traditional Nazis and KU Klux Klan, but the far right militias, the nativist movements and so forth and so on. That is an expanding fascist mobilization in US civil society, very, very scary. And it is linking up with capital and Trumpism represents a far right and repressive political power. Now, I?m not saying that fascism already exists in the United States, but that three way coming together, the three way triangulation, these congealing in the United States and in different parts around the world. But you?re asking me what?s the difference with 21st century and 20th century fascism and there?s a few key differences, but before I get into that, Greg, I would like to just point out that if you look around the world, you see those three things coming together in the countries that you mentioned.
So in India we don?t just have a far right and repressive government in power. We don?t just have a government aligning with the needs of transnational capital in India, but we also have that fascist mobilization and that fascist mobilization of the RSS for instance, is an openly fascist organization and Hindu nationalist fascist mobilization in civil society. We see the same thing in Brazil in distinction, for instance, to Honduras, and we see the same thing in Europe, the countries that you mentioned or in Israel for that matter. But there?s a key difference between 20th and 21st century fascism. It?s a little bit more on the academic side. I don?t want to go into a lot of detail to confuse listeners, but 20th century fascism brought together these far, repressive fascist governments and forces and civil society with national capitalist groups.
So German capitalists benefited from German Nazis in their competition with British capitalists and French capitalist classes and US capital?s classes. Now, what we?ve seen in the age of globalization from the late 20th century and on, is that now capital is largely transnational. That?s why I speak about a transnational capitalist class. So this fascist project is linking together with transnational capital, that?s one big difference. The other big difference is that there was a very powerful socialist and trade union and communist movements in the 1930s that were brushed by fascism. The first thing that Nazis did in Germany was to wipe out the communist and the socialist and the trade unions. Then they went after Jews and gypsies and so forth and so on, and the same thing in Italy. But now we have this mass rebellion from below, but we don?t have organized socialist and communist movements and trade unions are weak around the world. They?re gaining strength, but they?re now very weak.
So the repressive juggernaut of this rising 21st century fascism is more aimed at containing the potential we rebellion and the growing rebellion of the working class from below, from the grassroots below, and they?re containing surplus humanity. Because we have a situation I mentioned, where about a third of humanity now is simply locked out and surplus. One way to contain them is create systems of mass incarceration where surplus humanity is locked up. But this other way emerging is this 21st century fascism. Now this is crucial, the next point I?m going to make and the distinction between 20th and 21st century fascism and what we?re seeing now. What they share is the need that the fascist mobilization has for scapegoats. Because remember, fascism is a response to capitalist crisis and masses of workers and the poor and the majority can respond to capitalist crisis by overthrowing capitalism, right? And threatening the interests of capitalist groups and their fascist representatives. And the fascist mobilization has to identify scapegoats to channel this social anxiety.
And because of globalization, because of that inequality I mentioned at the beginning of the interview where 80% of humanity and increasingly even more, that a 20% leftover is experiencing downward mobility, increased insecurity, increased destabilization, increased prospects of precarious employment and so forth. That generates tremendous social anxiety and political tensions. And the fascist project seeks to channel that social anxiety, those political tensions towards scapegoating communities. So Trumpism hinges around, for instance, the anti-immigrant rhetoric and the anti-immigrant campaign as a scapegoating. In India, the scapegoating is against Muslims and against lower castes and against other groups and Israel of course is against the Palestinians in Brazil is a deeply racist dimension to that scapegoating.
But the key thing is the crisis generates mass discontent and social anxiety and fascist projects scapegoat them specifically in the United States, Trump?s project has been to reconstruct what I can call a white racist historic block with this major dimension of racism in involving this China legal mass anxiety towards a racist consciousness among white sectors. But here?s the key thing, in much of the 20th century to now hone in on the United States, the significant portions of the white working class were quite privileged. They had rising standards of living and homes and secure jobs and so forth. Under capitalist globalization, there?s the majority of white workers are moving with this downward mobility in this destabilization. So Trump?s social base is really tenacious, and it is largely?not exclusively, but largely what were privileged sectors of the white working class that are now experiencing downward mobility and destabilization. So really Trump is charisma for his base, not for us, but for his base and his discourse and everything he?s doing really is targeting that social base.
GREG WILPERT: I wanted to get into exactly into those issues of the Trump?s base and who is fighting for them. But I wanted to do that in part two. So we?re going to conclude this part one of this interview with William Robinson, professor of sociology at UC Santa Barbara, and I would like to ask people to join us for part two, which will follow right now where we?ll discuss in what ways the Trump impeachment also should be considered an intra elite conflict. Thanks for joining us.
WILLIAM I ROBINSON: Thank you so much.
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 10 16:48:09 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2020 08:48:09 -0800
Subject: [Peace] The transcript to the podcast from TRNN with Prof. Robinson
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB28753A8F7E02832A77873543A3190@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>


 <https://therealnews.com/print-layout/?pType=transcript&pID=186820>Story Transcript
Abridged Transcript (full transcript below)
As the impeachment trial of President Trump comes to an end, many are asking themselves, what was this about? Is it about stopping an authoritarian president from abusing presidential power, or is there something deeper at work? In other words, if the Republican and Democratic parties are, for the most part, merely representatives of different wings of the same US elite, that is of its business class, then perhaps the impeachment process is actually a big public spectacle of infighting within the US ruling class.
Professor William I. Robinson presents such an alternative conception of the Trump impeachment process. He?s a professor of sociology and global and Latin American studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He recently published an article for the Journal of Science and Society titled ?Global Capitalist Crisis and 21st Century Fascism: Beyond the Trump Hype <http://robinson.faculty.soc.ucsb.edu/Assets/pdf/FascismbeyondTrump.pdf>.?
We divided this conversation into two parts. In this first part we take a look at what 21st century fascism is, where does it come from, and how is it different from 20th century fascism, and how does Trump fit into this phenomenon? Then in part two, we examine the idea that the impeachment process is actually a struggle within the US elite.
With regard to the first part, and with regard to the rise of fascism, we have seen a tremendous rise of the far right and even of neo-fascist leaders and parties around the world in the past few years. The governments in Brazil, the Philippines, Hungary, Turkey, India, Poland, Italy, are all governed by the far right. Then, practically all countries in the world have far right political parties that have been on the rise. Now this rise of far right and even neo-fascist parties and movements is unprecedented since the 1930s. What is happening? Why is this happening now?
William I. Robinson: We have to look at the larger context here. We have to step back from the headlines, the impeachment headlines. We have to step back, for the moment, from the dynamics of Trumpism and we have to see that global capitalism is in crisis. It is in the deepest crisis at this point since the 1930s and that is the larger backdrop to all of these headlines around the world. That crisis has two dimensions. One is a structural dimension, and I?ll mention a little more about that momentarily, but the dimension of this crisis is one of state legitimacy in a capitalist economy.
What I mean by that is that the masses of people around the world no longer consider that the system is legitimate, that their governments are legitimate. There?s a growing popularity of socialism. And there?s this worldwide protest every day as we speak throughout Latin America and all throughout the world, this upsurge of popular rebellion from below. And the system cannot meet the needs of the majority and it is spiraling into this general crisis of capitalist rule.
So, the two forces that are on the ascent worldwide are on the one hand, these popular radical forces from below and the turn to the left. And then secondly, the rise of the far right that you mentioned in the introduction. We must see that fascism is at all times a response to capitalist crisis. It was a response to capitalist crisis in the 1930s and the 1940s and it is a response to capitalist crisis now in the early 21st century.
The ruling elites worldwide and the capitalist class worldwide has not been able to resolve this structural crisis and we know that global inequalities are reaching unprecedented proportion.
In this situation, capitalism enters into a structural crisis because the global economy is producing this massive amount of wealth, unprecedented wealth, and yet it cannot be absorbed by the global market because of the vast majority of moving downward and don?t have the income or the ability to really consume.  This leads to stagnation in the system.
How do you face up to this stagnation? How do you keep making profits and accumulating? And in the last 10 years since the 2008 collapse, but even before then, the system has turned to several mechanisms which are not resolving the structural crisis, they?re only prolonging it and one is unprecedented debt. Secondly, there has been this wild speculation in the global economy. A third mechanism has been investing all of these resources into the tech sector.
The fourth big way in which the global economy is moving forward in the face of this stagnation is militarized accumulation and accumulation by repression. Now wars and conflicts worldwide become major outlets for profit making or unloading that over accumulated capital in the face of these stagnation tendencies and they?re wildly profitable and not just worsen conflicts that we see all over, but also systems of social control and repression become wildly profitable. The persecution of immigrants and private immigrant detention centers become wildly profitable.
How do you control the global working class, which is rising up worldwide, which now sees the system as illegitimate? How do you resolve this crisis of legitimacy of capitalist hegemony? And this is where we want to start talking about 21st century fascism.
20th century fascism, is a triangulation of three things that came together. One was reactionary and repressive political power in the state. The second dimension was that political power aligned with and met the needs of national capitalist groups, an alliance of the state with capital around the fascist project. The third dimension of a fascist project in the 20th century, but this also holds for the 21st century, is a mobilization of fascist forces and ideologies in civil society.
But there?s a key difference between 20th and 21st century fascism. 20th century fascism brought together these repressive fascist governments and forces and civil society with national capitalist groups. Now, what we?ve seen in the age of globalization from the late 20th century and on, is that now capital is largely transnational. That?s why I speak about a transnational capitalist class. This fascist project is linking together with transnational capital, that?s one big difference. The other big difference is that there was a very powerful socialist and trade union and communist movements in the 1930s that were crushed by fascism. But now we have this mass rebellion from below, but we don?t have organized socialist and communist movements and trade unions are weak around the world. They?re gaining strength, but they?re now very weak.
One way to contain the grassroots is to create systems of mass incarceration where surplus humanity is locked up. But this other way emerging is this 21st century fascism.
What 20th and 21st century fascism share is the need that the fascist mobilization has for scapegoats. The fascist mobilization has to identify scapegoats to channel this social anxiety. The fascist project seeks to channel that social anxiety, those political tensions towards scapegoating communities.
Trumpism thus hinges around, for instance, the anti-immigrant rhetoric and the anti-immigrant campaign as a scapegoating. In the United States, significant portions of the white working class were quite privileged. They had rising standards of living and homes and secure jobs and so forth. Under capitalist globalization, there?s the majority of white workers who are moving with this downward mobility in this destabilization. Trump?s social base is really tenacious, and it is largely, not exclusively, but largely what were privileged sectors of the white working class that are now experiencing downward mobility and destabilization.
 
 
Full Transcript:
GREG WILPERT: Welcome to The Real News Network. I?m Greg Wilpert in Arlington, Virginia.
As the impeachment trial of President Trump comes to an end, many are asking themselves: ?What was this about? Is it about stopping an authoritarian president from abusing presidential power, or is there something deeper at work?? In other words, if the Republican and Democratic parties are, for the most part, merely representatives of different wings of the same US elite?that is of its business class?then perhaps the impeachment process is actually a big public spectacle of infighting within the US ruling class.
Joining me to discuss this alternative conception of the Trump impeachment process is William I. Robinson. He?s a professor of sociology and global and Latin American studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He recently published an article for the Journal of Science and Society titled Global Capitalist Crisis and 21st Century Fascism: Beyond the Trump Hype. Thanks for joining us again, Bill.
WILLIAM I ROBINSON: It?s a pleasure to be back.
GREG WILPERT: First of all, I want to recommend to our viewers the article in Science and Society that I just mentioned. I think it does an excellent job of outlining what the Trump phenomenon is about. We will link to the article in our website. Now, I want to divide this conversation into two parts. In this first part I?d like to take a look at what 21st century fascism is, where does it come from, and how is it different from 20th century fascism, and how does Trump fit into this phenomenon? Then in part two, I?d like to examine the idea that the impeachment process is actually a struggle within the US elite.
With regard to the first part, and with regard to the rise of fascism, we have seen a tremendous rise of the far right and even of neo-fascist leaders and parties around the world in the past few years. There?s governments in Brazil, the Philippians, Hungary, Turkey, India, Poland, Italy, all governed by the far right. Then, practically all countries in the world have far right political parties that have been on the rise. Now this rise of far right and even neo-fascist parties and movements is unprecedented since the 1930s. My question is what is happening? Why is this happening now?
WILLIAM I ROBINSON: We have to look at the larger context here. We have to step back from the headlines, the impeachment headlines, and I know we?ll be talking about that in part two. We have to step back, for the moment, from the dynamics of Trumpism and we have to see that the global capitalism is in crisis. It is in the deepest crisis at this point since the 1930s and that is the larger backdrop to all of these headlines around the world. So the things that you just mentioned in the introduction to the upsurge in popular radical struggles from below to the impeachment and so forth. And that crisis has two dimensions that we want to focus on. One is a structural dimension, and I?ll mention a little more about that momentarily, but the dimension of this crisis is one of state legitimacy in a capitalist antimony.
And what I mean by that is that the masses of people around the world no longer consider that the system is legitimate, that their governments are legitimate. There?s a growing popularity of socialism. I?m sure the Real News Network viewers have seen that a poll was just released showing that over 50% of women in the United States now prefer socialism over capitalism and that is remarkable. And there?s this worldwide protest every day as we speak throughout Latin America and all throughout the world, this upsurge of popular rebellion from below. And the system cannot meet the needs of the majority and it is spiraling into this general crisis of capitalist rule. And that?s the context in which we need to see the rise of 21st century fascism. But let me say something also that we?re seeing with this rise in 21st century?s fascism, also a sharp political polarization worldwide.
So the two forces that are on the ascent worldwide are on the one hand, these popular radical forces from below and the turn to the left. And then secondly, the rise of the far right that you mentioned in the introduction. So if we?re talking about this threat of fascism, we must see that fascism is at all times a response to capitalist crisis. It was a response to capitalist crisis in the 1930s and the 1940s and it is a response to capitalist crisis now in the early 21st century. And I?m going to, in a few minutes mention a concept which is very useful to understand this global police state. But before I go there, I want to go back to the structural dimension of the crisis. The ruling elites worldwide and the capitalist class worldwide has not been able to resolve this structural crisis and we know that global inequalities are reaching unprecedented proportion. I?m sure that many of the listeners and viewers know this data.
In fact, the Oxfam just released its most recent report on global inequality to coincide with the World Economic Forum Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. And they pointed out the 2,300 billionaires now have more wealth than 5 billion people, most of the people on the planet. But the more significant data Oxfam came out with three years ago, and it is that 1% of humanity controls over 50% of the world?s wealth. 20% of humanity, that would be that portion that might be able to survive in these new mean streets of globalized capitalism, but even they have difficulty surviving. They control 94.5% of the world?s wealth. That means that 80% of the world?s population has a near a 4.5% of the world?s wealth and so in this situation, capitalism enters into a structural crisis because the global economy is producing this massive amount of wealth, unprecedented wealth, and yet it cannot be absorbed by the global market because of the vast majority of moving downward and don?t have the income or the ability to really consume. So this leads to stagnation in the system.
And we know that the global economy has been, it entered into a major crisis in 2008 and it has been largely stagnant ever since and we?re teetering on the verge right now of another global recession. So the system has a challenge of how do you keep accumulating in the face of this structural crisis. And let me just remind you where I?m going with this. I?m going to get to the political dimension of this crisis and that?s where the threat of 21st century fascism comes in. But we first need to see its structural grounding. So the ruling groups have this challenge of how do you keep the global economy going? How do you face up to this stagnation? How do you keep making profits and accumulating? And in the last 10 years since the 2008 collapse, but even before then, the system has turned to several mechanisms which are not resolving the structural crisis, they?re only prolonging it and one is unprecedented debt.
We know that corporate debt worldwide, we know that state debt worldwide, and consumer debt worldwide are at all-time highs and it?s not sustainable. That debt, the mounting debt means that the global economy sputters forward, but that mounting debt is not sustainable. Secondly, there has been this wild speculation in the global economy. We can really call it a global casino. The numbers are just mind boggling that 1.4 quadrillion dollars are speculated each year compared to just 75 trillion. 1.4 quadrillion dollars compared to $75 trillion as the whole global production of goods and services. So this wild speculation cannot continue either. And then a third mechanism has been forming all of these resources into the tech sector. If you follow the economic headlines, you see that there are now companies that are valued, their stocks are valued at over a trillion dollars and there is a new round of digitalization taking place, but that?s not going to resolve this structural crisis.
So finally, and now this is going to be the link between the politics and the economics of 21st century fascism. The other big way in which the global economy is moving forward in the face of this stagnation is what I called in that article, but I quote more generally, militarized accumulation and accumulation by repression.And what do I mean by that? I mean that now wars and conflicts worldwide become major outlets for profit making or unloading that over accumulated capital in the face of these stagnation tendencies and they?re wildly profitable and not just worsen conflicts that we see all over, but also systems of social control and repression become wildly profitable. The persecution of immigrants and private immigrant detention centers become wildly profitable. All of the systems in place in the Mediterranean and being expanded in Mediterranean for refugees coming from North Africa and the Middle East. These are wildly profitable. They are forms of accumulating capital in the face of over accumulation in the face of this stagnation, the structural dimension of the crisis.
I could go on with that, but let me now shift focus to this accumulation by repression will so and the challenge that the system faces here is how do you contain this rebellion from below? How do you control the global working class, which is rising up worldwide, which now sees the system as illegitimate? How do you resolve this crisis of legitimacy of capitalist hedgemony? And this is where we want to start talking about 21st century fascism. And I would add that expanding systems of transnational social control and of repression is wildly profitable, but it is also aimed at containing that rebellion from below, including from surplus humanity. We know up to a third of the world?s population is simply locked out and made surplus.
GREG WILPERT: Before you go onto the issue of fascism, I want to clarify that term also. I mean, in the sense of, you talk about also there being a difference between 20th and 21st century fascism. So first of all, what?s the difference and how does 21st century fascism resolve the issues that you?re talking about?
WILLIAM I ROBINSON: Right, well, I mean, working backwards, it doesn?t resolve. It?s not going to resolve. I mean, the ruling groups are rudderless. They don?t know where they?re going with this. They?re not going to be able to resolve these issues, but certain groups are certainly trying with this fascist mobilization. So let me say that 20th century fascism, we can analyze it as a triangulation of three things that came together. One was reactionary and repressive political power in the state. So obviously you have the Nazis in Germany, you have Mussolini in Italy, you have Franco in Spain, but you also had in the 1930s, you had fascist movements in the United States and in other parts of the world. In many of those places, those fascist movements were not able to capture the state. But that?s the first element for the 20th century fascism where this reactionary and very repressive political power.
The second dimension was that political power aligned with and met the needs of national capitalist groups. So when we studied fascism in Germany, we know that Nazis controlling the state, did everything that a German capitalist needed to expand and make profit. And so you have that alliance of the state with capital around the fascist project. But the third dimension of a fascist project in the 20th century, but this also holds for the 21st century, is a mobilization of fascist forces and ideologies in civil society. So of course the Nazis were not just in the state, there was massive movements in civil society. The thing with Mussolini, the same thing now in the United States and now in India and in Palestine and Israel and around the world, which is why, Greg, and I know you will know, you?re both Latin American, spent many years in Latin America, which is why a lot of the far right regimes in Latin America, I would not say are 21st century fascist. You have a dictatorship in Honduras, but it?s not fascist.
So the key ingredient is when these three things come together and we do see a rapid fascist mobilization in civil society in the United States, everyone knows that if you just follow the headlines, not just the traditional Nazis and KU Klux Klan, but the far right militias, the nativist movements and so forth and so on. That is an expanding fascist mobilization in US civil society, very, very scary. And it is linking up with capital and Trumpism represents a far right and repressive political power. Now, I?m not saying that fascism already exists in the United States, but that three way coming together, the three way triangulation, these congealing in the United States and in different parts around the world. But you?re asking me what?s the difference with 21st century and 20th century fascism and there?s a few key differences, but before I get into that, Greg, I would like to just point out that if you look around the world, you see those three things coming together in the countries that you mentioned.
So in India we don?t just have a far right and repressive government in power. We don?t just have a government aligning with the needs of transnational capital in India, but we also have that fascist mobilization and that fascist mobilization of the RSS for instance, is an openly fascist organization and Hindu nationalist fascist mobilization in civil society. We see the same thing in Brazil in distinction, for instance, to Honduras, and we see the same thing in Europe, the countries that you mentioned or in Israel for that matter. But there?s a key difference between 20th and 21st century fascism. It?s a little bit more on the academic side. I don?t want to go into a lot of detail to confuse listeners, but 20th century fascism brought together these far, repressive fascist governments and forces and civil society with national capitalist groups.
So German capitalists benefited from German Nazis in their competition with British capitalists and French capitalist classes and US capital?s classes. Now, what we?ve seen in the age of globalization from the late 20th century and on, is that now capital is largely transnational. That?s why I speak about a transnational capitalist class. So this fascist project is linking together with transnational capital, that?s one big difference. The other big difference is that there was a very powerful socialist and trade union and communist movements in the 1930s that were brushed by fascism. The first thing that Nazis did in Germany was to wipe out the communist and the socialist and the trade unions. Then they went after Jews and gypsies and so forth and so on, and the same thing in Italy. But now we have this mass rebellion from below, but we don?t have organized socialist and communist movements and trade unions are weak around the world. They?re gaining strength, but they?re now very weak.
So the repressive juggernaut of this rising 21st century fascism is more aimed at containing the potential we rebellion and the growing rebellion of the working class from below, from the grassroots below, and they?re containing surplus humanity. Because we have a situation I mentioned, where about a third of humanity now is simply locked out and surplus. One way to contain them is create systems of mass incarceration where surplus humanity is locked up. But this other way emerging is this 21st century fascism. Now this is crucial, the next point I?m going to make and the distinction between 20th and 21st century fascism and what we?re seeing now. What they share is the need that the fascist mobilization has for scapegoats. Because remember, fascism is a response to capitalist crisis and masses of workers and the poor and the majority can respond to capitalist crisis by overthrowing capitalism, right? And threatening the interests of capitalist groups and their fascist representatives. And the fascist mobilization has to identify scapegoats to channel this social anxiety.
And because of globalization, because of that inequality I mentioned at the beginning of the interview where 80% of humanity and increasingly even more, that a 20% leftover is experiencing downward mobility, increased insecurity, increased destabilization, increased prospects of precarious employment and so forth. That generates tremendous social anxiety and political tensions. And the fascist project seeks to channel that social anxiety, those political tensions towards scapegoating communities. So Trumpism hinges around, for instance, the anti-immigrant rhetoric and the anti-immigrant campaign as a scapegoating. In India, the scapegoating is against Muslims and against lower castes and against other groups and Israel of course is against the Palestinians in Brazil is a deeply racist dimension to that scapegoating.
But the key thing is the crisis generates mass discontent and social anxiety and fascist projects scapegoat them specifically in the United States, Trump?s project has been to reconstruct what I can call a white racist historic block with this major dimension of racism in involving this China legal mass anxiety towards a racist consciousness among white sectors. But here?s the key thing, in much of the 20th century to now hone in on the United States, the significant portions of the white working class were quite privileged. They had rising standards of living and homes and secure jobs and so forth. Under capitalist globalization, there?s the majority of white workers are moving with this downward mobility in this destabilization. So Trump?s social base is really tenacious, and it is largely?not exclusively, but largely what were privileged sectors of the white working class that are now experiencing downward mobility and destabilization. So really Trump is charisma for his base, not for us, but for his base and his discourse and everything he?s doing really is targeting that social base.
GREG WILPERT: I wanted to get into exactly into those issues of the Trump?s base and who is fighting for them. But I wanted to do that in part two. So we?re going to conclude this part one of this interview with William Robinson, professor of sociology at UC Santa Barbara, and I would like to ask people to join us for part two, which will follow right now where we?ll discuss in what ways the Trump impeachment also should be considered an intra elite conflict. Thanks for joining us.
WILLIAM I ROBINSON: Thank you so much.
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Tue Feb 11 16:35:47 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2020 08:35:47 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Our broken legal system
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB28755B9CF88F2CC1A4A6E55EA3180@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

https://defendembassyprotectors.org/embassy-protectors-gagged-they-will-not-be-able-to-tell-jury-guaido-is-not-president-or-mention-international-law/ <https://defendembassyprotectors.org/embassy-protectors-gagged-they-will-not-be-able-to-tell-jury-guaido-is-not-president-or-mention-international-law/>
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Tue Feb 11 16:35:47 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2020 08:35:47 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Our broken legal system
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB28755B9CF88F2CC1A4A6E55EA3180@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

https://defendembassyprotectors.org/embassy-protectors-gagged-they-will-not-be-able-to-tell-jury-guaido-is-not-president-or-mention-international-law/ <https://defendembassyprotectors.org/embassy-protectors-gagged-they-will-not-be-able-to-tell-jury-guaido-is-not-president-or-mention-international-law/>
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Tue Feb 11 22:36:42 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2020 14:36:42 -0800
Subject: [Peace] The best article ever,
 on Philippines/US relations by Andre Vltchek
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB287543C966EAA8C321A757DEA3180@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

I have a special interest in the Philippines having lived there a couple years. Sadly I found it to be the most impoverished of all nations in Asia. My personal opinion is close to that of Prof. Simbalan, in that Duterte is playing both sides, vulnerable nations do that, but his move away from US militarism is a good thing for world peace. I?m also pleased to hear from many of the far left express opinions that I hold in relation to the Philippines foreign policy. As to their domestic policy, thats up to the Filipino people.
Exclusive: The Philippines Are Choosing New Allies ? Asia is Watching
FEBRUARY 11, 2020 BY 21WIRE <https://21stcenturywire.com/author/21wire/> 1 COMMENT <https://21stcenturywire.com/2020/02/11/exclusive-the-philippines-are-choosing-new-allies-asia-is-watching/#disqus_thread>

Contemporary artist Macky Bongabong poses with his artwork featuring President Rodrigo Duterte at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City (Credit: Office of the President <https://pcoo.gov.ph/photo13-101616/>)
Andre Vltchek
21st Century Wire <https://21stcenturywire.com/2020/02/11/exclusive-the-philippines-are-choosing-new-allies-asia-is-watching/>
Now what? President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines is outraged. He wants an end to the U.S. military presence in his country. He wants to curb all cooperation with the U.S. armed forces. He hits hard, talks big. And his people seem to be behind him, no matter what ? his popularity rating is high and rising, now around 87%, which is something unimaginable anywhere else in Southeast Asia, or in the world.
Under a colorful headline on February 7, 2020, ?End that son of a b*tch?: Duterte confirms US-Philippines military collaboration agreement is toast?, RT International reported <https://www.rt.com/news/480372-duterte-us-military-terminated/>:
?Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is ?terminating? the Visiting Forces Agreement, which provides legal immunity to US military drills, in retaliation for the US canceling the visa of a political ally and fellow drug-warrior.
?The president said he is terminating the VFA,? Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told ABS-CBN News on Friday. ?I asked for clarification and he said he is not changing his decision.? The agreement provides legal immunity for US soldiers conducting military exercises in the Philippines.
Enraged by the US decision to cancel the visa of former police chief and Senator Roland dela Rosa last month, Duterte had given Washington a month to fix its ?mistake,? refusing to back down even as other members of his government urged him to reconsider.
?I?m warning you? if you won?t do the correction on this, I will terminate the? Visiting Forces Agreement,? Duterte said last month, daring the US to call his bluff.?
Some say, all this is nothing new. The United States, the European Union, and even the United Nations keep attacking President Duterte. He hits back, insults his geopolitical counterparts, regularly threatening to kick out the U.S. and its military forces. He personally insults the leaders of Western countries, international organizations and even the Catholic Church which, in the Philippines, used to be untouchable.
Making Western leaders desperate, he calls China ?the kindest nation on earth?, and he admires Russia and its President Vladimir Putin. In Manila, the Russian leader is now a masculine idol.
President Duterte is a self-proclaimed socialist. Critics say that many of his economic policies are still capitalist, even if his social policies are left-wing. But he has done precisely what most of his fellow citizens wanted him to do: he introduced free medical care and free education all the way to university level; something unthinkable in most of the Southeast Asian countries.

How they used to live in Manila slums (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ?)

Poverty is still a major challenge, although Duterte?s social reforms have helped millions in recent years (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ?)
But his critics are not content. ?Not enough has been done to improve the state of the nation,? says the academia, as well as the NGOs. But the poor love him, and so do the middle class. For them, what he has done is enough ? much more than enough. Nobody did more for them in the past. Indeed, 87% is an unprecedented level of support. The majority of Filipinos do not just support him ? they love him, unconditionally.
Western mainstream media trashes Duterte left and right. Pro-Western NGOs are calling him a mass murderer, because of the war on drugs, which allegedly has taken thousands of lives.
His supporters reply:
?But before Duterte was sworn in, millions were rotting alive in desperate slums and enormous crime-infested cemeteries. Drug lords were murdering innocent people, and no Western NGOs were protesting.?
I listen to both sides of the story. For three years, I have been all ears.
The criticism and attacks from the West, all this seems to matter not for Duterte ? he simply moves forward like a tank. And his long-suffering country is improving, year after year. It is moving up, even according <http://hdr.undp.org/sites/all/themes/hdr_theme/country-notes/PHL.pdf> to the Human Development Index (HDI, compiled by the UNDP).
?I will kill you, you son of a bitch!?
Western media loves such statements, blasting them all over, as if they were some sort of proof that the President of the Philippines is a mafia-style murderous maniac.
But I am told by many in his restive home base in the south in Davao City:
?No way. This is how we speak on Mindanao Island. President is Visaya ? he says what comes to his mind. Tagalog people are polite, but their actions are often brutal. Talking dirty means nothing bad where Duterte comes from?.
But for the Southeast Asian region, the most important topic is how President Duterte is handling foreign policy.
All over Asia Pacific, the United States, desperate to keep its global hegemony, is antagonizing Beijing on all fronts. It is pushing China from all directions. The South China Sea is constantly in the spotlight, through the international courts (often controlled by the Western countries and interests) as well as through the Western mass media. The dispute over the Spratly Islands has been poisoning the relationship between Beijing and Manila for decades.
However, after Duterte became president, things changed, dramatically. The rhetoric significantly softened, and both China and the Philippines clearly stated that they are willing to talk, negotiate and compromise. To the great dismay of the West, any military conflict between two countries is now out of question.
This approach is having an enormous (although grossly under-reported) influence on the entire region?s policy towards China. The country that is watching particularly closely is China?s historic rival, and a fellow Communist state ? Vietnam.

Concert for communist bard concert at University of Philippines in Quezon City (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2020)
For quite some time, President Duterte expressed a desire to diversify his foreign policy, extending a hand towards both Moscow and Beijing.
In January 2020, in an exclusive interview for the RT, he stated <https://www.rt.com/news/479044-duterte-russia-us-dominance/>, rebelliously:
?I want to open new fronts with Russia and China as US lived off the fat of our land? America is not the Philippines and the Philippines is not America. It ain?t that way anymore, and I refuse to dovetail under American foreign policy??
But then again, his statements and actions do not seem to be adequate for everybody. Like in the West, many Marxist Filipino intellectuals are ?purists?; they demand utopian Western-style Marxist, or even Anarcho-syndicalist methods of ?governance?.
President Duterte is neither of the above. He is a spontaneous, emotional leader. He is pragmatic. He often acts on the spur of the moment; he makes good moves and he also makes blunders. Sometimes, after he makes mistakes, he corrects them; he steps back, and tries again.
He is not a simple man; he is tormented individual. Sexually molested by a priest when he was a child, he holds a grudge against Christianity. He grew up in a complex family. His mother and father came from different political spectrums: a socialist and an official, a civil servant.
To the horror of some, he has a soft spot for the former dictator Marcos. So do several members of his family.

(Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2020)
The legendary left-wing academic, Roland Simbulan (image, above), a professor at the University of the Philippines (UP) and a good friend of mine, is even increasingly skeptical about the direction of the Duterte?s foreign policy. He wrote for this essay:
?On several occasions, Pres. Duterte has threatened to terminate either the Mutual Defense Treaty (1951) or the Visiting Forces Agreement (1999) with the United States. It seems and this view is measured by his actions, that he is just after more U.S. military assistance to equip his repressive army and police forces to repress the Filipino people?s resistance. Duterte is trying to soften U.S. government criticism of his violations of fundamental human rights of Filipinos, which is now the subject of investigation by the International Criminal Court, and the United Nations Council on Human Rights. He is also courting Chinese and Russian military assistance to likewise get additional military assistance from them. His coterie of more than 65 pro-U.S. ex- generals and military and police officers whom he has appointed to key positions in the civil government do not indicate a shift in policy. If he were really serious about having a ?balanced and independent foreign policy?, he should have abrogated the Mutual Defense Treaty, the Visiting Forces Agreement and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement the moment he became president in 2016, as he had promised during his presidential campaign. He is now on the 4th year of his 6-year term, and he has not touched these agreements. These agreements with the United States, have in fact, been strengthened, despite all the rhetoric. Now we know better that the rhetoric is really to get more U.S. military assistance.?
Not everyone agrees. A daughter of one of the leaders of the Communist Party (New People?s Army), Joan Andrea Toledo, an accomplished social media reporter, is a staunch supporter of the President. We covered the battle of Marawi together, and this time we met again in the Cubao neighborhood of Manila, to discuss the current political situation in the Philippines:
?Duterte is surrounded by hawks, who want to have a conflict with China and the Communists. Whenever he wants to solve the conflict, the military makes a noise. Many in his government are from the previous administration. I was a member of the peace panel in Norway. The generals did not want peace with the Communists to succeed.?
It is the same when it comes to China.
In the Philippines, antagonizing China is a tremendously lucrative business. As it is actually a great business all around Southeast Asia. People from all walks of life are paid royally for attacking Beijing, particularly from Western sources.

(Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2020)
A former MP, Luzviminda Ilagan (image, above), now Under-Secretary for Policy and Plans Legislative Liaison Affairs Department of Social Welfare and Development, used to serve in Duterte?s administration in Davao City:
?Two biggest enemies of Duterte are the members of the Democratic Party in the United States, as well as the Christian Democrats in Europe?.
At home, many members of the elite, be they from the business sphere (oligarchs), from the military or academia, are now siding with the foreign critics of the President.

Prof Batongbacal explaining the complicated maritime border issue between his country and neighboring China (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2020)
Professor Jay L. Batongbacal, Associate Dean for Research and Development Director, Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, UP College of Law, appears to be vehemently against China?s maritime claims regarding the disputed islands, as well as against President Duterte, and any compromise that could be reached by Manila and Beijing. He rejects accusations that it is Washington that has been trying to dictate the foreign policy of the Philippines towards China. He spoke to me on his campus about the situation:
?In the disputed area, the Philippines are interested in oil. The U.S. is not; at least not in this part of the world. For China, it is not about natural resources, it is about defense.?
?But what precisely is it for the United States??, he did not specify.
He added though, that the compromises with China made by this administration, are turning the Philippines into ?collateral? for both the U.S. and China.

Joan Andrea Toledo and Prof. Amparo Pamela ?Mimi? Fabe (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2020)
Professor Amparo Pamela ?Mimi? Fabe (Countering the Financing of Terrorism Specialist & Senior Economist) offered a diametrically different view about Duterte?s approach towards the United States. She does believe that the U.S. is meddling in the state affairs of her country:
?The recent threat of President Duterte to terminate joint military exercises is a permanent move away from the West. It constitutes a move towards China and Russia. Hence, it is essential that China and Russia reciprocate this presidential move through stronger bilateral defense relations.?
Then she threw her punch:
?The academia is a noisy minority. They are like that because most of them received their PhD scholarships from the US and the UK. It is hard to reason with them because they already have closed minds.
President Duterte has an 87 percent public support rating so his stand on independent foreign policy is well appreciated by the majority.?

A HISTORY OF DEFIANCE: It wasn?t that long ago that Filipinos took to the streets to protest U.S. military bases on their land.

Reminders of US military presence on these islands are everywhere (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2020)
When I speak to them, the Filipino people hardly see themselves as ?collateral? though. Lately, most of them are optimistic, happy that their lives are improving. They are endlessly grateful to their Presidente.
Recently, I have visited Manila on several occasions, but I also worked in the conflict-torn Marawi, in Davao City, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Zamboanga and many other corners of the country. Everywhere I went, Mr. Duterte was enjoying unprecedented popularity. And even his controversial war on drugs is, even according to Reuters, generating the support of almost 8 out of 10 citizens.
Moving closer to China and Russia does not evoke much resistance inside the country, with the exception of various academics and US-backed and trained high-ranking military staff. Oligarchs and the elites are also generally loyal to the West.

One of many hundreds of disputed islands located in the South China Sea (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2020)
In February 2020 I flew to Puerto Princesa, which is the nearest city to the disputed Spratly Islands. Puerto Princesa International Airport shares a runway with the air force base, but I detected no military aircraft during my visit. All was quiet. No tension whatsoever.
I spoke to several local citizens, and not one of them expressed any concern about the proximity of China, or about China?s foreign policy towards the Philippines.
Allison, a local student, explained:
?China is a good country. We never have any real problems with it. I don?t know much about the Spratly issue, but here we don?t worry about it at all.?
Norman, who works at the SM mall:
?I have no issue with China. Russians do not come here, so I wouldn?t know. America has joint military exercises with us for a long time. There have been a lot of them here at Puerto Princesa, for some period of time.?
No urgency, obviously. No chest-beating patriotism. Nothing that you would imagine, reading Western newspapers.

Marawi City was ground zero in Philippines fight against jiadhism (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2017)
The Battle for Marawi 
More than two years ago, while covering the Muslim extremist insurgency in the city of Marawi (Mindanao Island), I was arrested by the military <https://21stcenturywire.com/2017/07/25/philippines-western-media-is-distorting-reality-people-and-army-unite-to-battle-isis/> and literally disappeared inside the barracks.
I was able to explain the situation, over the mobile phone, to my friends in Manila, who alerted the highest command there. Orders came from top generals: to release me immediately. But there was a mutiny. Local officers disobeyed, and I had to stay inside the compound until late-night hours. At some point, a jeep and an armored vehicle were dispatched, in order to drive me more than 100 kilometers to my hotel in Cagayan de Oro.
Later on, it was explained to me what really happened: while the pro-Duterte generals were happy to have me on the ground in the war zone, several pro-U.S. commanders were trying to make sure that non-Western and especially Russian reporters were to be kept out of the place. For many reasons. One of them: Marawi was full of ?Western allies? ? extremist groups from other Southeast Asian countries, and other jihadi cadres, including, some said to me there, Uyghurs.

Military patrol in Zamboanga: on which side are they? (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2017)

The author with General Rey and his team in Marawi (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2017)
The next day, the pro-Duterte men asked me to return, and personally drove me back to the front. I was one of the few foreigners allowed to the frontline.
A small incident? Perhaps. But it clearly illustrates how complex, how divided the situation is, even within the country?s armed forces.
Indeed, the division extends even beyond places like Marawi, Zamboanga, Sulu and the other restive areas of the South.
Breaking Free of the Past
The most divisive issue is that of China, and whether Rodrigo Duterte, the most popular President in the history of the Philippines, will be able to, against all odds, fully change the foreign policy of his country.
He wants to. I am convinced that he does. I know enough people around him to make this statement.
But the inertia is tremendous. The forces that are trying to prevent him from going with China and Russia are powerful. These forces have been controlling this country for decades, even centuries.
But the President is not scared. Physically he is not well. Sometimes he is not even sure he can survive until the end of his term in power. He wants to change his country, while he is still alive.
He has already called Barrack Obama a son-of-a-bitch. He even described the Christian God as ?stupid? and a ?son of a bitch?. And now, he?s rejecting the military pact with the United States.
Today, Duterte?s government sent a formal notice <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/11/world/asia/philippines-united-states-duterte.html> to the US embassy in Manila, terminating its Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with Washington.
The world is watching. Asia is watching. Secretly, people want him to succeed. And almost nobody from abroad dares to support him publicly.
The Western Empire is brutal and vindictive. It kills. Duterte does not care. When he charges, he does it ?in the name of his people?. He has the overwhelming approval of the nation, with over 100 million inhabitants covering his back. That?s a lot. And no matter what the foreign analysts say, that?s actually damn truly a lot!
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Tue Feb 11 22:36:42 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2020 14:36:42 -0800
Subject: [Peace] The best article ever,
 on Philippines/US relations by Andre Vltchek
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB287543C966EAA8C321A757DEA3180@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

I have a special interest in the Philippines having lived there a couple years. Sadly I found it to be the most impoverished of all nations in Asia. My personal opinion is close to that of Prof. Simbalan, in that Duterte is playing both sides, vulnerable nations do that, but his move away from US militarism is a good thing for world peace. I?m also pleased to hear from many of the far left express opinions that I hold in relation to the Philippines foreign policy. As to their domestic policy, thats up to the Filipino people.
Exclusive: The Philippines Are Choosing New Allies ? Asia is Watching
FEBRUARY 11, 2020 BY 21WIRE <https://21stcenturywire.com/author/21wire/> 1 COMMENT <https://21stcenturywire.com/2020/02/11/exclusive-the-philippines-are-choosing-new-allies-asia-is-watching/#disqus_thread>

Contemporary artist Macky Bongabong poses with his artwork featuring President Rodrigo Duterte at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City (Credit: Office of the President <https://pcoo.gov.ph/photo13-101616/>)
Andre Vltchek
21st Century Wire <https://21stcenturywire.com/2020/02/11/exclusive-the-philippines-are-choosing-new-allies-asia-is-watching/>
Now what? President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines is outraged. He wants an end to the U.S. military presence in his country. He wants to curb all cooperation with the U.S. armed forces. He hits hard, talks big. And his people seem to be behind him, no matter what ? his popularity rating is high and rising, now around 87%, which is something unimaginable anywhere else in Southeast Asia, or in the world.
Under a colorful headline on February 7, 2020, ?End that son of a b*tch?: Duterte confirms US-Philippines military collaboration agreement is toast?, RT International reported <https://www.rt.com/news/480372-duterte-us-military-terminated/>:
?Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is ?terminating? the Visiting Forces Agreement, which provides legal immunity to US military drills, in retaliation for the US canceling the visa of a political ally and fellow drug-warrior.
?The president said he is terminating the VFA,? Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told ABS-CBN News on Friday. ?I asked for clarification and he said he is not changing his decision.? The agreement provides legal immunity for US soldiers conducting military exercises in the Philippines.
Enraged by the US decision to cancel the visa of former police chief and Senator Roland dela Rosa last month, Duterte had given Washington a month to fix its ?mistake,? refusing to back down even as other members of his government urged him to reconsider.
?I?m warning you? if you won?t do the correction on this, I will terminate the? Visiting Forces Agreement,? Duterte said last month, daring the US to call his bluff.?
Some say, all this is nothing new. The United States, the European Union, and even the United Nations keep attacking President Duterte. He hits back, insults his geopolitical counterparts, regularly threatening to kick out the U.S. and its military forces. He personally insults the leaders of Western countries, international organizations and even the Catholic Church which, in the Philippines, used to be untouchable.
Making Western leaders desperate, he calls China ?the kindest nation on earth?, and he admires Russia and its President Vladimir Putin. In Manila, the Russian leader is now a masculine idol.
President Duterte is a self-proclaimed socialist. Critics say that many of his economic policies are still capitalist, even if his social policies are left-wing. But he has done precisely what most of his fellow citizens wanted him to do: he introduced free medical care and free education all the way to university level; something unthinkable in most of the Southeast Asian countries.

How they used to live in Manila slums (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ?)

Poverty is still a major challenge, although Duterte?s social reforms have helped millions in recent years (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ?)
But his critics are not content. ?Not enough has been done to improve the state of the nation,? says the academia, as well as the NGOs. But the poor love him, and so do the middle class. For them, what he has done is enough ? much more than enough. Nobody did more for them in the past. Indeed, 87% is an unprecedented level of support. The majority of Filipinos do not just support him ? they love him, unconditionally.
Western mainstream media trashes Duterte left and right. Pro-Western NGOs are calling him a mass murderer, because of the war on drugs, which allegedly has taken thousands of lives.
His supporters reply:
?But before Duterte was sworn in, millions were rotting alive in desperate slums and enormous crime-infested cemeteries. Drug lords were murdering innocent people, and no Western NGOs were protesting.?
I listen to both sides of the story. For three years, I have been all ears.
The criticism and attacks from the West, all this seems to matter not for Duterte ? he simply moves forward like a tank. And his long-suffering country is improving, year after year. It is moving up, even according <http://hdr.undp.org/sites/all/themes/hdr_theme/country-notes/PHL.pdf> to the Human Development Index (HDI, compiled by the UNDP).
?I will kill you, you son of a bitch!?
Western media loves such statements, blasting them all over, as if they were some sort of proof that the President of the Philippines is a mafia-style murderous maniac.
But I am told by many in his restive home base in the south in Davao City:
?No way. This is how we speak on Mindanao Island. President is Visaya ? he says what comes to his mind. Tagalog people are polite, but their actions are often brutal. Talking dirty means nothing bad where Duterte comes from?.
But for the Southeast Asian region, the most important topic is how President Duterte is handling foreign policy.
All over Asia Pacific, the United States, desperate to keep its global hegemony, is antagonizing Beijing on all fronts. It is pushing China from all directions. The South China Sea is constantly in the spotlight, through the international courts (often controlled by the Western countries and interests) as well as through the Western mass media. The dispute over the Spratly Islands has been poisoning the relationship between Beijing and Manila for decades.
However, after Duterte became president, things changed, dramatically. The rhetoric significantly softened, and both China and the Philippines clearly stated that they are willing to talk, negotiate and compromise. To the great dismay of the West, any military conflict between two countries is now out of question.
This approach is having an enormous (although grossly under-reported) influence on the entire region?s policy towards China. The country that is watching particularly closely is China?s historic rival, and a fellow Communist state ? Vietnam.

Concert for communist bard concert at University of Philippines in Quezon City (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2020)
For quite some time, President Duterte expressed a desire to diversify his foreign policy, extending a hand towards both Moscow and Beijing.
In January 2020, in an exclusive interview for the RT, he stated <https://www.rt.com/news/479044-duterte-russia-us-dominance/>, rebelliously:
?I want to open new fronts with Russia and China as US lived off the fat of our land? America is not the Philippines and the Philippines is not America. It ain?t that way anymore, and I refuse to dovetail under American foreign policy??
But then again, his statements and actions do not seem to be adequate for everybody. Like in the West, many Marxist Filipino intellectuals are ?purists?; they demand utopian Western-style Marxist, or even Anarcho-syndicalist methods of ?governance?.
President Duterte is neither of the above. He is a spontaneous, emotional leader. He is pragmatic. He often acts on the spur of the moment; he makes good moves and he also makes blunders. Sometimes, after he makes mistakes, he corrects them; he steps back, and tries again.
He is not a simple man; he is tormented individual. Sexually molested by a priest when he was a child, he holds a grudge against Christianity. He grew up in a complex family. His mother and father came from different political spectrums: a socialist and an official, a civil servant.
To the horror of some, he has a soft spot for the former dictator Marcos. So do several members of his family.

(Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2020)
The legendary left-wing academic, Roland Simbulan (image, above), a professor at the University of the Philippines (UP) and a good friend of mine, is even increasingly skeptical about the direction of the Duterte?s foreign policy. He wrote for this essay:
?On several occasions, Pres. Duterte has threatened to terminate either the Mutual Defense Treaty (1951) or the Visiting Forces Agreement (1999) with the United States. It seems and this view is measured by his actions, that he is just after more U.S. military assistance to equip his repressive army and police forces to repress the Filipino people?s resistance. Duterte is trying to soften U.S. government criticism of his violations of fundamental human rights of Filipinos, which is now the subject of investigation by the International Criminal Court, and the United Nations Council on Human Rights. He is also courting Chinese and Russian military assistance to likewise get additional military assistance from them. His coterie of more than 65 pro-U.S. ex- generals and military and police officers whom he has appointed to key positions in the civil government do not indicate a shift in policy. If he were really serious about having a ?balanced and independent foreign policy?, he should have abrogated the Mutual Defense Treaty, the Visiting Forces Agreement and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement the moment he became president in 2016, as he had promised during his presidential campaign. He is now on the 4th year of his 6-year term, and he has not touched these agreements. These agreements with the United States, have in fact, been strengthened, despite all the rhetoric. Now we know better that the rhetoric is really to get more U.S. military assistance.?
Not everyone agrees. A daughter of one of the leaders of the Communist Party (New People?s Army), Joan Andrea Toledo, an accomplished social media reporter, is a staunch supporter of the President. We covered the battle of Marawi together, and this time we met again in the Cubao neighborhood of Manila, to discuss the current political situation in the Philippines:
?Duterte is surrounded by hawks, who want to have a conflict with China and the Communists. Whenever he wants to solve the conflict, the military makes a noise. Many in his government are from the previous administration. I was a member of the peace panel in Norway. The generals did not want peace with the Communists to succeed.?
It is the same when it comes to China.
In the Philippines, antagonizing China is a tremendously lucrative business. As it is actually a great business all around Southeast Asia. People from all walks of life are paid royally for attacking Beijing, particularly from Western sources.

(Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2020)
A former MP, Luzviminda Ilagan (image, above), now Under-Secretary for Policy and Plans Legislative Liaison Affairs Department of Social Welfare and Development, used to serve in Duterte?s administration in Davao City:
?Two biggest enemies of Duterte are the members of the Democratic Party in the United States, as well as the Christian Democrats in Europe?.
At home, many members of the elite, be they from the business sphere (oligarchs), from the military or academia, are now siding with the foreign critics of the President.

Prof Batongbacal explaining the complicated maritime border issue between his country and neighboring China (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2020)
Professor Jay L. Batongbacal, Associate Dean for Research and Development Director, Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, UP College of Law, appears to be vehemently against China?s maritime claims regarding the disputed islands, as well as against President Duterte, and any compromise that could be reached by Manila and Beijing. He rejects accusations that it is Washington that has been trying to dictate the foreign policy of the Philippines towards China. He spoke to me on his campus about the situation:
?In the disputed area, the Philippines are interested in oil. The U.S. is not; at least not in this part of the world. For China, it is not about natural resources, it is about defense.?
?But what precisely is it for the United States??, he did not specify.
He added though, that the compromises with China made by this administration, are turning the Philippines into ?collateral? for both the U.S. and China.

Joan Andrea Toledo and Prof. Amparo Pamela ?Mimi? Fabe (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2020)
Professor Amparo Pamela ?Mimi? Fabe (Countering the Financing of Terrorism Specialist & Senior Economist) offered a diametrically different view about Duterte?s approach towards the United States. She does believe that the U.S. is meddling in the state affairs of her country:
?The recent threat of President Duterte to terminate joint military exercises is a permanent move away from the West. It constitutes a move towards China and Russia. Hence, it is essential that China and Russia reciprocate this presidential move through stronger bilateral defense relations.?
Then she threw her punch:
?The academia is a noisy minority. They are like that because most of them received their PhD scholarships from the US and the UK. It is hard to reason with them because they already have closed minds.
President Duterte has an 87 percent public support rating so his stand on independent foreign policy is well appreciated by the majority.?

A HISTORY OF DEFIANCE: It wasn?t that long ago that Filipinos took to the streets to protest U.S. military bases on their land.

Reminders of US military presence on these islands are everywhere (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2020)
When I speak to them, the Filipino people hardly see themselves as ?collateral? though. Lately, most of them are optimistic, happy that their lives are improving. They are endlessly grateful to their Presidente.
Recently, I have visited Manila on several occasions, but I also worked in the conflict-torn Marawi, in Davao City, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Zamboanga and many other corners of the country. Everywhere I went, Mr. Duterte was enjoying unprecedented popularity. And even his controversial war on drugs is, even according to Reuters, generating the support of almost 8 out of 10 citizens.
Moving closer to China and Russia does not evoke much resistance inside the country, with the exception of various academics and US-backed and trained high-ranking military staff. Oligarchs and the elites are also generally loyal to the West.

One of many hundreds of disputed islands located in the South China Sea (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2020)
In February 2020 I flew to Puerto Princesa, which is the nearest city to the disputed Spratly Islands. Puerto Princesa International Airport shares a runway with the air force base, but I detected no military aircraft during my visit. All was quiet. No tension whatsoever.
I spoke to several local citizens, and not one of them expressed any concern about the proximity of China, or about China?s foreign policy towards the Philippines.
Allison, a local student, explained:
?China is a good country. We never have any real problems with it. I don?t know much about the Spratly issue, but here we don?t worry about it at all.?
Norman, who works at the SM mall:
?I have no issue with China. Russians do not come here, so I wouldn?t know. America has joint military exercises with us for a long time. There have been a lot of them here at Puerto Princesa, for some period of time.?
No urgency, obviously. No chest-beating patriotism. Nothing that you would imagine, reading Western newspapers.

Marawi City was ground zero in Philippines fight against jiadhism (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2017)
The Battle for Marawi 
More than two years ago, while covering the Muslim extremist insurgency in the city of Marawi (Mindanao Island), I was arrested by the military <https://21stcenturywire.com/2017/07/25/philippines-western-media-is-distorting-reality-people-and-army-unite-to-battle-isis/> and literally disappeared inside the barracks.
I was able to explain the situation, over the mobile phone, to my friends in Manila, who alerted the highest command there. Orders came from top generals: to release me immediately. But there was a mutiny. Local officers disobeyed, and I had to stay inside the compound until late-night hours. At some point, a jeep and an armored vehicle were dispatched, in order to drive me more than 100 kilometers to my hotel in Cagayan de Oro.
Later on, it was explained to me what really happened: while the pro-Duterte generals were happy to have me on the ground in the war zone, several pro-U.S. commanders were trying to make sure that non-Western and especially Russian reporters were to be kept out of the place. For many reasons. One of them: Marawi was full of ?Western allies? ? extremist groups from other Southeast Asian countries, and other jihadi cadres, including, some said to me there, Uyghurs.

Military patrol in Zamboanga: on which side are they? (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2017)

The author with General Rey and his team in Marawi (Image credit: Andre Vltchek ? 2017)
The next day, the pro-Duterte men asked me to return, and personally drove me back to the front. I was one of the few foreigners allowed to the frontline.
A small incident? Perhaps. But it clearly illustrates how complex, how divided the situation is, even within the country?s armed forces.
Indeed, the division extends even beyond places like Marawi, Zamboanga, Sulu and the other restive areas of the South.
Breaking Free of the Past
The most divisive issue is that of China, and whether Rodrigo Duterte, the most popular President in the history of the Philippines, will be able to, against all odds, fully change the foreign policy of his country.
He wants to. I am convinced that he does. I know enough people around him to make this statement.
But the inertia is tremendous. The forces that are trying to prevent him from going with China and Russia are powerful. These forces have been controlling this country for decades, even centuries.
But the President is not scared. Physically he is not well. Sometimes he is not even sure he can survive until the end of his term in power. He wants to change his country, while he is still alive.
He has already called Barrack Obama a son-of-a-bitch. He even described the Christian God as ?stupid? and a ?son of a bitch?. And now, he?s rejecting the military pact with the United States.
Today, Duterte?s government sent a formal notice <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/11/world/asia/philippines-united-states-duterte.html> to the US embassy in Manila, terminating its Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with Washington.
The world is watching. Asia is watching. Secretly, people want him to succeed. And almost nobody from abroad dares to support him publicly.
The Western Empire is brutal and vindictive. It kills. Duterte does not care. When he charges, he does it ?in the name of his people?. He has the overwhelming approval of the nation, with over 100 million inhabitants covering his back. That?s a lot. And no matter what the foreign analysts say, that?s actually damn truly a lot!
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From carl at newsfromneptune.com  Thu Feb 13 15:28:08 2020
From: carl at newsfromneptune.com (C. G. Estabrook)
Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2020 09:28:08 -0600
Subject: [Peace] Fwd: When Less is More
References: <DA6A3FE4.5D1C8%lizburbank@zipcon.net>
Message-ID: <4DC5F250-245E-46D3-A414-6CF5900457C7@newsfromneptune.com>

Begin forwarded message:
> 
> From: Liz Burbank <lizburbank at zipcon.net>
> Subject: When Less is More
> Date: February 13, 2020 at 1:51:00 AM CST
> To: Liz Burbank <lizburbank at zipcon.net>
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hitler's debt to America
> https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/feb/06/race.usa <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.theguardian.com_uk_2004_feb_06_race.usa&d=DwMFAw&c=OCIEmEwdEq_aNlsP4fF3gFqSN-E3mlr2t9JcDdfOZag&r=r9ggwGWSXULJ3RMEGISCv6oZ9xaPN4qNABPmTF_3It4&m=kkEReNZYLgr5f6NofZtCo8HnXN_GE5qy_uWTW5YIQO4&s=lu_HM1KdH1KwTAH4bNQQfs97mlWuKKMFsAJiOlIUgmg&e=>
> "There is today one state in which at least weak beginnings toward a better conception [of immigration] are noticeable. Of course, it is not our model German Republic, but [the US], in which an effort is made to consult reason at least partially. By refusing immigrants on principle to elements in poor health, by simply excluding certain races from naturalisation, it professes in slow beginnings a view that is peculiar to the People's State."  "The demand that defective people be prevented from propagating equally defective offspring is a demand of clearest reason and, if systematically executed, represents the most humane act of mankind. It will spare millions of unfortunates undeserved sufferings, and consequently will lead to a rising improvement of health as a whole." 
> "Now that we know the laws of heredity, it is possible to a large extent to prevent unhealthy and severely handicapped beings from coming into the world. I have studied with interest the laws of several American states concerning prevention of reproduction by people whose progeny would, in all probability, be of no value or be injurious to the racial stock."  
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Curbing Global Population Growth: Rockefeller?s Population Council 
> https://cspcs.sanford.duke.edu/sites/default/files/descriptive/rockefellers_population_council.pdf <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__cspcs.sanford.duke.edu_sites_default_files_descriptive_rockefellers-5Fpopulation-5Fcouncil.pdf&d=DwMFAw&c=OCIEmEwdEq_aNlsP4fF3gFqSN-E3mlr2t9JcDdfOZag&r=r9ggwGWSXULJ3RMEGISCv6oZ9xaPN4qNABPmTF_3It4&m=kkEReNZYLgr5f6NofZtCo8HnXN_GE5qy_uWTW5YIQO4&s=z60mFYIyune3IQa5L7zhlis-GVlydUC1KxnhZFGLmEE&e=>
> Background. Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, the Rockefeller Foundation had been a significant contributor to broad advances in medical research and efforts in worldwide disease eradication. In contemplating the work of the foundation his grandfather created, John D. Rockefeller III began to believe that a reduction in mortality resulting from his family?s foundation efforts in medicine, without a corresponding decline in fertility rates, could contribute to unsustainable population growth, particularly in developing countries. In the late 1940s, a Rockefeller Foundation-sponsored team returning from Asia noted that an imminent worldwide surge in population growth demanded immediate action.369 Rapid worldwide population growth was known to be taking place, but scholarship on population and demography lacked organization and coherence in part because of the complexity of the problem of population growth and because of the cultural and religious sensitivities implicated in fertility issues. Rockefeller, however, felt complexities of rising population growth and sensitivities of birth control should not inhibit the needed focus of science and public policy....
> 
> Strategy. In the early 1950s, Rockefeller... Provide(d) the financial support for a two-day conference, held under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences, the president of which was also the president of the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research.371 When the Rockefeller Foundation declined to take up population growth as an issue of concern, Rockefeller formed the Population Council as an independent entity.372 He provided an initial gift of $100,000 to enable the Council to begin its work. 
> The Council?s charter members were Frank Notestein, demographer at Princeton University who urged attention be given to high fertility rates; Frederick Osborn, influential proponent of population research; Thomas Parran, dean of the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh; and John D. Rockefeller, III. Shortly after its formation, Rockefeller provided an additional grant of $1.25 million to the Council over five years. The Ford Foundation also made an early contribution to the Council, a grant of $600,000.374 Later financial backers included the Rockefeller, Mellon, Hewlett, and Packard Foundations.
> When public attention began to focus on population issues in the 1960s and 1970s, alumni of the Council?s fellowship program were already placed and prepared to steer policy. The United States, under the Kennedy administration, began to adopt foreign policy positions on global population reflecting Rockefeller?s concerns articulated a decade earlier. [...] 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> US official depopulation policy
> 4/24/74 Henry Kissinger, NSSM 200 
> 
> ?Depopulation should be the highest priority of foreign policy towards the third world wherever a lessening of population pressures..can increase prospects for stability, population policy becomes relevant to resource supplies and the interests of the United States especially from less developed countries... Injectable contraceptives for women as a possible method of population reduction and control..." 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Bill Gates talks about ?vaccines to reduce population?
> by F. William Engdahl http://www.voltairenet.org/article164347.html <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.voltairenet.org_article164347.html&d=DwMFAw&c=OCIEmEwdEq_aNlsP4fF3gFqSN-E3mlr2t9JcDdfOZag&r=r9ggwGWSXULJ3RMEGISCv6oZ9xaPN4qNABPmTF_3It4&m=kkEReNZYLgr5f6NofZtCo8HnXN_GE5qy_uWTW5YIQO4&s=LxwrNZhpo3jsyflmwu1BJtdq0k3bt5-Y1TvkQI1OdFI&e=>
> Microsoft founder and one of the world?s wealthiest men, Bill Gates, projects an image of a benign philanthropist using his billions via his (tax exempt) Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to tackle diseases, solve food shortages in Africa and alleviate poverty. In a recent conference in California, Gates reveals a less public agenda of his philanthropy: population reduction, otherwise known as eugenics.... 
> 
> 
> 
> Population Council
> Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Oprah Winfrey Discuss Coming Together 'to Do More'
> 5/20/09?http://abcnews.go.com/Business/ <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__abcnews.go.com_Business_&d=DwMFAw&c=OCIEmEwdEq_aNlsP4fF3gFqSN-E3mlr2t9JcDdfOZag&r=r9ggwGWSXULJ3RMEGISCv6oZ9xaPN4qNABPmTF_3It4&m=kkEReNZYLgr5f6NofZtCo8HnXN_GE5qy_uWTW5YIQO4&s=Q82E311g-2FcnfVLKvE1TZgk-8RyjGvDqpv0wWPsepI&e=>7628545 
> 
> Billionaire club in bid to curb overpopulation
> 5/24/09 Times of London,  <http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6350303.ece <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.timesonline.co.uk_tol_news_world_us-5Fand-5Famericas_article6350303.ece&d=DwMFAw&c=OCIEmEwdEq_aNlsP4fF3gFqSN-E3mlr2t9JcDdfOZag&r=r9ggwGWSXULJ3RMEGISCv6oZ9xaPN4qNABPmTF_3It4&m=kkEReNZYLgr5f6NofZtCo8HnXN_GE5qy_uWTW5YIQO4&s=G1TvrCOfnsbfZevP1VabBV8Nr4mg7q9KTtFjgf7es5Q&e=>> 
> 
> Some of America?s leading billionaires met secretly May 5 in Manhattan to consider how their wealth could be used to slow the growth of the world?s population. Described as the Good Club by one insider, it included David Rockefeller Jr, Warren Buffett, George Soros, Michael Bloomberg, Ted Turner and Oprah Winfrey... agreed overpopulation was a priority...a consensus emerged to back a strategy with population growth tackled as a potentially disastrous environmental, social and industrial threat. 
> 
> 
> The Human Genome Project and Eugenics
> Robert Lederman Daily Telegraph (London) 7/7/00, Gazette Baltimore Sun 1/22/99, Salt Lake City Tribune 1/27/99 
> 
> The Human Genome Project may now open the door to the development and use of genetic weapons targeted at specific ethnic groups. This project is currently being conducted under the auspices ofthe U.S. Energy Department, which also oversees America?s nuclear weapon arsenal....The November 1970 issue of the Military Review article [was] entitled ?Ethnic Weapons? for command-level military personnel. The author was Dr. Carl Larson, head of the Department of Human Genetics at the Institute of Genetics in Lund, Sweden.... A biological weapon could conceivably take advantage of this genetic variance and incapacitate or kill an entire population.... On November 15, 1998, the London Times reported that Israel claimed to have successfully developed a genetically specific ?ethnic bullet? that targets Arabs. When an Israeli government spokesman was asked to confirm the existence of ethnic weapons, he did not deny that they had them, but rather said, ?we have a basket full of serious surprises that we will not hesitate to use if we feel that the state of Israel is under serious threat.?.
> 
> 
> 
> U.S. Military Review ?Ethnic Weapons? 
> Pentagon DARPA Commissions 1970 study on ethnic weapons conducted by the Battelle Institute ...
> 11/70 ?http://www.sunshine-project.org/publications/pr/pdf/pr190202.pdf <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.sunshine-2Dproject.org_publications_pr_pdf_pr190202.pdf&d=DwMFAw&c=OCIEmEwdEq_aNlsP4fF3gFqSN-E3mlr2t9JcDdfOZag&r=r9ggwGWSXULJ3RMEGISCv6oZ9xaPN4qNABPmTF_3It4&m=kkEReNZYLgr5f6NofZtCo8HnXN_GE5qy_uWTW5YIQO4&s=ygxLgnmmdxZ1Fogj_9qgRmmiV1cjuc3rk5aW-KMXN7E&e=>
> "...genetic variations in races are concurrent with differences in tolerances for various substances. For instance, large segments of Southeast Asian populations display lactose intolerance due to absence of lactase enzyme in the digestive system. A biological weapon could conceivably take advantage of this genetic variance and incapacitate or kill an entire population.  
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ensuring Israel's QME (Qualitative Military Edge)
> Andrew J. Shapiro, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs addresses  The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
> 11/4/11  http://www.state.gov/t/pm/rls/rm/176684.htm <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.state.gov_t_pm_rls_rm_176684.htm&d=DwMFAw&c=OCIEmEwdEq_aNlsP4fF3gFqSN-E3mlr2t9JcDdfOZag&r=r9ggwGWSXULJ3RMEGISCv6oZ9xaPN4qNABPmTF_3It4&m=kkEReNZYLgr5f6NofZtCo8HnXN_GE5qy_uWTW5YIQO4&s=Ze7atwdKuf9iswBnaPuVPM9z9UXnaGIFZbIWp8fBve8&e=>
> President Obama said: ?the United States sees the historic changes sweeping the Middle East and North Africa as a moment of great challenge, but also a moment of opportunity for greater peace and security for the entire region, including the State of Israel.??"A Strong Partnership Supports U.S. National Security. So let me first turn to why this relationship is so important to the United States?.The most direct tool the US uses to ensure Israel?s Qualitative Military Edge is security assistance. For some three decades, Israel has been the leading beneficiary of US security assistance through the Foreign Military Financing program, FMF...each year Israel accounts for 60% of U.S. security assistance funding distributed through FMF....Our total FMF funding amounts to $5.5 billion per year, of which more than 80% goes to the supporting our partners and allies in the Middle East....Ensuring Israel?s military strength and its superiority in the region, is critical to regional stability and as a result is fundamentally a core interest of the United States. The United States and Israel also see eye to eye on host of strategic questions. Indeed, a new Washington Institute report by Robert Blackwill and Walter Slocombe articulates the strategic benefits of the relationship for the United States...? Israel is a vital ally and serves as a cornerstone of our regional security commitments.... 
> 
> US Ups Israel's QME
> 6/13/13 http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130613/DEFREG/306130022/ <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.defensenews.com_article_20130613_DEFREG_306130022_&d=DwMFAw&c=OCIEmEwdEq_aNlsP4fF3gFqSN-E3mlr2t9JcDdfOZag&r=r9ggwGWSXULJ3RMEGISCv6oZ9xaPN4qNABPmTF_3It4&m=kkEReNZYLgr5f6NofZtCo8HnXN_GE5qy_uWTW5YIQO4&s=hCOY7MTGa4fZDE3Tib5U8MNGJFQOxql0igYOkPSbqZM&e=>
> ...US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in April, announced Washington ?would make available to Israel a set of advanced new military capabilities? to augment Israel?s qualitative military edge.[QME]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Government Population Control: A Secret of American Foreign Policy
> JAN 10, 2020 <https://www.hli.org/resources/exposing-the-global-population-control/ <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.hli.org_resources_exposing-2Dthe-2Dglobal-2Dpopulation-2Dcontrol_&d=DwMFAw&c=OCIEmEwdEq_aNlsP4fF3gFqSN-E3mlr2t9JcDdfOZag&r=r9ggwGWSXULJ3RMEGISCv6oZ9xaPN4qNABPmTF_3It4&m=kkEReNZYLgr5f6NofZtCo8HnXN_GE5qy_uWTW5YIQO4&s=FnTetmnTBN_nSZckDRynuWew-8Rw_nux4JQ0tb7EvIM&e=>> 
> 
> ... United States National Security Council is the highest ... United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Population Services ...
> 
> 
> 
> USAID, population control, and NGO-Led democratization in Egypt... 
> 
> PDF <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232885906_USAID_population_control_and_NGO-Led_democratization_in_Egypt_The_fate_of_the_ICPD_programme_of_action <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.researchgate.net_publication_232885906-5FUSAID-5Fpopulation-5Fcontrol-5Fand-5FNGO-2DLed-5Fdemocratization-5Fin-5FEgypt-5FThe-5Ffate-5Fof-5Fthe-5FICPD-5Fprogramme-5Fof-5Faction&d=DwMFAw&c=OCIEmEwdEq_aNlsP4fF3gFqSN-E3mlr2t9JcDdfOZag&r=r9ggwGWSXULJ3RMEGISCv6oZ9xaPN4qNABPmTF_3It4&m=kkEReNZYLgr5f6NofZtCo8HnXN_GE5qy_uWTW5YIQO4&s=Rpo5nw9lQaNLnealibLmaUZJS8KeLlu8HmOE2yFLHNk&e=>> 
> USAID, population control, NGO-Led democratization in Egypt: The fate of ..In response to critical situation the Egyptian National Population Council ...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Physical Control of the Mind: Toward a Psychocivilized Society by Dr Jos? Delgado
> 25 August 2007 
> 
> We need a program of psychosurgery for political control of our society. The purpose is physical control of the mind. Everyone who deviates from the given norm can be surgically mutilated. 
> 
> --1974 Congressional Testimony of Dr. Jose Delgado 
> 
> The individual may think that the most important reality is his own existence, but this is only his personal point of view. This lacks historical perspective. Man does not have the right to develop his own mind. This kind of liberal orientation has great appeal. We must electronically control the brain. Someday armies and generals will be controlled by electric stimulation of the brain. 
> 
> --Dr. Jose Delgado, Director of Neuropsychiatry Yale University Medical School Congressional Record, No. 26, Vol. 118 February 24, 1974 
> 
> The technology for nonsensory communication between brains and computers through the intact skin is already at our fingertips, and its consequences are difficult to predict. In the past the progress of civilization has tremendously magnified the power of our senses, muscles, and skills. Now we are adding a new dimension: the direct interface between brains and machines. Although true, this statement is perhaps too spectacular and it requires cautious clarification. Our present knowledge regarding the coding of information, mechanisms of perception, and neuronal bases of behavior is so elemental that it is highly improbable that electrical correlates of thoughts or emotions could be picked up, transmitted, and electrically applied to the suitable structure of a different subject in order to be recognized and to trigger related thoughts or emotions. It is, however, already possible to induce a large variety of responses, from motor effects to emotional reactions and intellectual manifestations, by direct electrical stimulation of the brain. Also, several investigators have learned to identify patterns of electrical activity (which a computer could also recognize) localized in specific areas of the brain and related to determined phenomena such as perception of smells or visual perception of edges and movements. We are advancing rapidly in the pattern recognition of electrical correlates of behavior and in the methodology for two-way radio communication between brain and computers.
> We are advancing rapidly in the pattern recognition of electrical correlates of behavior and in the methodology for two-way radio communication between brain and computers. Fears have been expressed that this new technology brings with it the threat of possible unwanted and unethical remote control of the cerebral activities of man by other men, but as will be discussed later, this danger is quite improbable and is outweighed by the expected clinical and scientific benefits. Electronic knowledge and microminiaturization have progressed so much that the limits appear biological rather than technological. Our greatest need is for more experimental information about the neuronal mechanisms related to behavioral and mental processes, and research in unrestricted subjects promises to reveal new understanding of normal minds and more efficient therapy of disturbed 
> 
> B2 Human Brain Control 
> https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/guide/browsers/#enablejs <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov_guide_browsers_-23enablejs&d=DwMFAw&c=OCIEmEwdEq_aNlsP4fF3gFqSN-E3mlr2t9JcDdfOZag&r=r9ggwGWSXULJ3RMEGISCv6oZ9xaPN4qNABPmTF_3It4&m=kkEReNZYLgr5f6NofZtCo8HnXN_GE5qy_uWTW5YIQO4&s=4wkSbYs4EoQ5LaYB-91fj3miGty5zqsaTklMcjJDXwE&e=>
> Cite this <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304460604_B2_Human_Brain_Control_www_En_tylko_w_only_in_En/citation/download <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.researchgate.net_publication_304460604-5FB2-5FHuman-5FBrain-5FControl-5Fwww-5FEn-5Ftylko-5Fw-5Fonly-5Fin-5FEn_citation_download&d=DwMFAw&c=OCIEmEwdEq_aNlsP4fF3gFqSN-E3mlr2t9JcDdfOZag&r=r9ggwGWSXULJ3RMEGISCv6oZ9xaPN4qNABPmTF_3It4&m=kkEReNZYLgr5f6NofZtCo8HnXN_GE5qy_uWTW5YIQO4&s=ZJri2-3SHtyJek1vvW-0Pe53Itd2BMH91MMt4qaCkig&e=>> 
> (PDF) B2 Human Brain Control www En tylko w only in En
> Jun 26, 2016 ...Dr. Jose Delgado at Yale University, Nobel Prize ... Rockefeller to create the Commission..... 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Hidden History of Psychotronic Experimentation on Involuntary Human Subjects 
> Alex Constantine ? 1994
> Psychotronics /delgado mia emailed [https://www.churchofmabusradio.com/2018/08/13/the-hidden-history-of-psychotronic-experimentation-on-involuntary-human-subjects-alex-constantine-1994/ <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.churchofmabusradio.com_2018_08_13_the-2Dhidden-2Dhistory-2Dof-2Dpsychotronic-2Dexperimentation-2Don-2Dinvoluntary-2Dhuman-2Dsubjects-2Dalex-2Dconstantine-2D1994_&d=DwMFAw&c=OCIEmEwdEq_aNlsP4fF3gFqSN-E3mlr2t9JcDdfOZag&r=r9ggwGWSXULJ3RMEGISCv6oZ9xaPN4qNABPmTF_3It4&m=kkEReNZYLgr5f6NofZtCo8HnXN_GE5qy_uWTW5YIQO4&s=8aeMjK45AX-GJzWKdIowQEE9z79T-HY0i6x9TxiZILQ&e=>] 
> 
> ....On May 6, Dr. Delgado, the Spanish bull-tamer and postwar Yale researcher, closed a lecture on the evolution of the brain at the American Museum of Natural History in New York with the announcement that ?science has developed a new electrical methodology for the study and control of cerebral function in animals and humans.?...Encouraged by the progress in transforming human beings into cordless automatons, the CIA picked up the pace... a CIA manual was prepared on the electronic wizardry of Radio-Hypnotic Intracerebral Control (RHIC), originally developed by the Pentagon, according to a 1975 issue of Modern People:.......
> 
> \ 
> 
> Human Betterment Foundation
> 6/23/10 <https://www.morebooks.de/store/gb/book/human-betterment-foundation/isbn/978-613-0-87298-4 <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.morebooks.de_store_gb_book_human-2Dbetterment-2Dfoundation_isbn_978-2D613-2D0-2D87298-2D4&d=DwMFAw&c=OCIEmEwdEq_aNlsP4fF3gFqSN-E3mlr2t9JcDdfOZag&r=r9ggwGWSXULJ3RMEGISCv6oZ9xaPN4qNABPmTF_3It4&m=kkEReNZYLgr5f6NofZtCo8HnXN_GE5qy_uWTW5YIQO4&s=mnP9OvUzUUTflmeXdi1WJNr5siGRMeosol1z1LDTwsU&e=>> 
> .. The Human Betterment Foundation (HBF) American eugenics organization established in Pasadena, California
> .....
> 
> 
> US  influence op for ?population council? 
> Philanthropy's Original Sin
> by William A. Schambra - Hudson Institute <https://www.hudson.org/research/9747-philanthropy-s-original-sin <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.hudson.org_research_9747-2Dphilanthropy-2Ds-2Doriginal-2Dsin&d=DwMFAw&c=OCIEmEwdEq_aNlsP4fF3gFqSN-E3mlr2t9JcDdfOZag&r=r9ggwGWSXULJ3RMEGISCv6oZ9xaPN4qNABPmTF_3It4&m=kkEReNZYLgr5f6NofZtCo8HnXN_GE5qy_uWTW5YIQO4&s=BONK-a6gSU-OCOKgsJfhmUsKvq3NunohW4XTGlHCZ3g&e=>> 
> 
> Oct 1, 2013 ... Eugenics American philanthropy's first great global success. ...Rockefeller family and  Carnegie Institution funds... population control programs tied to foreign aid....After all, eugenics had begun to point the way to a bold, hopeful human future through the application of the rapidly advancing natural sciences and the newly forming social sciences to human problems....By investing in the progress and application of these fields, foundations boasted they could delve down to the very roots of social problems, rather than merely treating their symptoms. Just as tracking physiological diseases back to parasites and microbes had begun to eliminate the sources of many medical ailments, so tracking social pathology ? crime, pauperism, dipsomania, and ?feeblemindedness,? a catch-all term for intellectual disabilities ? back to defective genes would allow us to attack it at its source...unlike charity. As John D. Rockefeller put it, ?the best philanthropy is constantly in search of the finalities ? a search for cause, an attempt to cure evils at their source.?...Foundation grants would pave the way for this transfer of authority: as one Rockefeller report put it, the foundation?s funding was designed to <http://books.google.com/books?id=e2sHh3G2G48C&lpg=PA88&ots=ken6PzPY1I&dq=/ <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__books.google.com_books-3Fid-3De2sHh3G2G48C-26lpg-3DPA88-26ots-3Dken6PzPY1I-26dq-3D_&d=DwMFAw&c=OCIEmEwdEq_aNlsP4fF3gFqSN-E3mlr2t9JcDdfOZag&r=r9ggwGWSXULJ3RMEGISCv6oZ9xaPN4qNABPmTF_3It4&m=kkEReNZYLgr5f6NofZtCo8HnXN_GE5qy_uWTW5YIQO4&s=ACyaIXtws4KqZ2se_3WyoFzgPvRSKd4x7dxQ8KDm01U&e=>> ?increase the body of knowledge which in the hands of competent technicians may be expected in time to result in substantial social control.?...
> In 1910 able to open the Eugenics Record Office (ERO) adding it to the NY Station for Experimental Evolution at Cold Spring Harbor launched earlier by the Washington Carnegie Institution, the Rockefeller...and Carnegie Institution.. added funds to the Eugenics Record Office.[ERO]...
> a remarkably aggressive and effective institution, skillfully deploying all the available scientific, cultural, and political tools at its disposal to promote its cause. As the top independently funded eugenics institution in the United States, ERO activities ranged from scientific and policy research, to public education and political advocacy, to training expert field workers...to track the ?stream of weak and susceptible protoplasm? into every nook and cranny of the nation....In the notorious 1927 Supreme Court case Buck v. Bell which upheld the constitutionality of state sterilization laws, Laughlin even provided a deposition confirming Carrie Buck?s feeblemindedness without ever having laid eyes on her.....
> 
> But philanthropy?s involvement in eugenics went far beyond the success of the ERO. The Rockefeller Foundation helped fund research institutions in Germany behind the Nazi programs of sterilization and euthanasia....also supported the work of French surgeon and biologist Alexis Carrel, who earned him a Nobel Prize in 1912 > . While working at the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research (today Rockefeller University), Carrel wrote his bestseller Man, the Unknown (1935), which lent his prestige to eugenics, suggested the use of gas to euthanize lawbreakers, and in a later edition endorsed the German ?suppression? of ?the defective.? ... less famous and wealthy donors also had a huge influence on state and local eugenics programs. Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, co-inventor of corn flakes and a promoter of various causes and treatments that blended theology and pseudoscience, used his fortune to start the Race Betterment Foundation that promoted eugenics in Michigan and convened some of the first major U.S. conferences on eugenics in the 1910s. In the 1920s, E. S. Gosney, a self-made philanthropist, created the Human Betterment Foundation, which promoted forced sterilization in [Pasadena] California and reportedly influenced the Nazi eugenics program. The Charles F. Brush Foundation for the Betterment of the Human Race was founded in 1928 by the eponymous Cleveland inventor and industrialist with the aim of supporting eugenics research in Ohio and around the world. In 1948, several philanthropists including Procter & Gamble heir Dr. Clarence Gamble and hosiery magnate James G. Hanes, cofounded the Human Betterment League, an organization that pushed eugenic sterilization in North Carolina. Countless other names could be added to this list....
> One of the most interesting tales from the history of philanthropy and eugenics is the career of Frederick H. Osborn. A longtime board member of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Osborn was a president of the Eugenics Research Association and the author of the book Preface to Eugenics  (1940), launching what Time magazine hailed as a new ?eugenics for democracy? that America could pursue without fear of being associated with the abuses becoming embarrassingly evident in the Third Reich. But in the book Osborn noted approvingly that ?the inexcusable process of allowing feebleminded persons ? to reproduce their kind is on the way to being checked in a number of states in which such persons may be sterilized.? Osborn was made president of the American Eugenics Society in 1946, and the key figure in sustaining philanthropy?s enthusiasm for eugenics after Nazi?s tarnished its reputation...successfully rebranding eugenics as medical genetics and ?population control.? 
> In 1952, Osborn joined forces with John D. Rockefeller III to start the Population Council...to pursue many of the goals as the older eugenics organizations but without the unpleasant odor that had attached itself to eugenics. As late as 1967, when Osborn was in his late seventies, longtime Rockefeller Foundation executive Warren Weaver invited him to write the chapter on ?population problems? for an authoritative volume on the history of American foundations. Osborn noted ?we can foresee the time when all over the world the control of births is as much the accepted responsibility of governments as is at present their responsibility for the public health.?
> 
> 
> 
> Grandmaster  Brzezinski geopolitical strategist  wasn?t reading tea leafs  in 1970
> Between Two Ages: America?s Role in the Technetronic Era 
> 
>>> Zbigniew Brzezinski 1970   
>>> 2012 "Strategic Vision", http://www.foreignaffairs.com/author/zbigniew-brzezinski <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.foreignaffairs.com_author_zbigniew-2Dbrzezinski&d=DwMFAw&c=OCIEmEwdEq_aNlsP4fF3gFqSN-E3mlr2t9JcDdfOZag&r=r9ggwGWSXULJ3RMEGISCv6oZ9xaPN4qNABPmTF_3It4&m=kkEReNZYLgr5f6NofZtCo8HnXN_GE5qy_uWTW5YIQO4&s=yiaS5jwyjxpbW1QZyBWzAbSlkxiKvkz94UMpNNTILD4&e=>
>>> The post-industrial society is becoming a ?technetronic? society: a society shaped culturally, psychologically, socially, and economically by the impact of technology and electronics?particularly in the area of computers and communications. [3]...Knowledge is a tool of power and the effective mobilization of talent an important way to acquire power. [5]...the
>>> government has sponsored the transfer of many technological innovations from defense to private industry. [6]... the United States has been most active in the promotion of a global communications system by means of satellites, and is pioneering the development of a world-wide information grid. It is expected such a grid will come into being by about 1975. For the first time in history the cumulative knowledge of mankind will be made accessible on a global scale?and almost instantaneously available in response to demand.[10] ... techniques of weather modification could be employed to produce prolonged periods of drought or storm, thereby weakening a nation?s capacity and forcing it to accept the demands of the competitor? (Gordon J. F. MacDonald, ?Space,? in Toward the Years 2018, p. 34). [11]  ..man has always sought to crystallize some organizing principle that would, by creating order out of chaos, relate him to the universe and help define his place in it. [13]...Julian Huxley was perhaps guilty of only slight exaggeration when he warned ?overcrowding in animals leads to distorted neurotic and downright pathological behavior. We can be sure that the same is true in principle of people. City life today is definitely leading to mass mental disease, to growing vandalism and possible eruptions of mass violence.? [14] G. N. Carstairs, in ?Why is Man Aggressive?? (Impact of Science on Society, April-June 1968, p. 90), argues that population growth, crowding, and social oppression all contribute to irrational and intensified aggression. Experiments on rats seem to bear this out; observation of human behavior in large cities seems to warrant a similar conclusion...[15]
>>> 
>>> Speaking of a future at most decades away, an experimenter in intelligence control asserted, ?I foresee a time when we shall have the means and therefore, inevitably, the temptation to manipulate the behavior and intellectual functioning of all the people through environmental and biochemical manipulation of the brain.? [16]
>>> A society?s capacity for making such judgments, [discriminating between the necessity for order and the imperative of change], is bound to be undermined by the degree to which it becomes psychologically inured to living with violence and to accepting violence as a means for solving its problems....contemporaryAmerica is psychologically permeated by violence.  Persisting social crisis, the emergence of a charismatic personality, and the exploitation of mass media to obtain public confidence would be the steppingstones in the piecemeal transformation of the United States into a highly controlled society....A certain measure of crime is accepted as unavoidable; for the sake of order, therefore, organized crime is generally preferred to anarchic violence, thus indirectly and informally becoming an extension of order...
>>> 
>>> The projected world information grid, for which Japan, Western Europe, and the United States are most suited, could create the basis for a common educational program, the adoption of common academic standards,  the organized pooling of information, and a more rational division of labor in research and development... Such scientific-informational linkage would be easier to set up than joint educational programs and would encourage an international educational system by providing an additional stimulus to an international division of academic labor, uniform academic standards, and a cross-national pooling of academic resources....
>>> 
>>> In addition, it may be possible?and tempting?to exploit for strategic-political purposes the fruits of research on the brain and on human behavior. Gordon J. F. MacDonald, a geophysicist specializing in problems of warfare, has written that accurately timed, artificially excited electronic strokes ?could lead to a pattern of oscillations that produce relatively high power levels over certain regions of the earth...In this way, one could develop a system that would seriously impair the brain performance of very large populations in selected regions over an extended period... No matter how deeply disturbing the thought of using the environment to manipulate behavior for national advantages to some, the technology permitting such use will very probably develop within the next few decades. [26]    [...]

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From carl at newsfromneptune.com  Thu Feb 13 16:47:43 2020
From: carl at newsfromneptune.com (C. G. Estabrook)
Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2020 10:47:43 -0600
Subject: [Peace] =?utf-8?q?The_Belief_That_Everything_Will_Be_Fine_Once_T?=
 =?utf-8?q?rump=E2=80=99s_Gone_Is_More_Dangerous_Than_Trump?=
Message-ID: <F51B412D-A806-43E0-83AE-2AFB331BB603@newsfromneptune.com>


The New Hampshire primary election, much like the Iowa caucuses, saw Bernie Sanders doing worse than polls anticipated and establishment favorite Pete Buttigieg doing much better than polls anticipated.
Buttigieg closed at a tight second place behind Sanders and both were awarded the same number of delegates, which with the bizarre Iowa shenanigans means the former South Bend mayor is now leading the pack in total delegates despite receiving fewer votes than Sanders in both states.
So of course ?Buttigieg leads? is the information that the mainstream media is placing special emphasis on today.

It is entirely possible that we?ll continue seeing strange electoral results combined with mass media manipulation result in Buttigieg riding a contested convention into a superdelegate-boosted nomination, even if Sanders has more votes overall. We have at this point in time seen no reason to believe that Sanders will be able to secure the number of delegates needed to prevent such an occurrence.
Then you?ve got racist Republican oligarch Mike Bloomberg jumping on the ballot come Super Tuesday, with his $300 million+ ad campaign throwing more chaos into the mix. Billionaire Bloomberg?s unprecedented campaign spending power has enabled him to push up just shy of second place in a recent Quinnipiac national poll despite having no redeeming characteristics and no real goal agenda apart from stopping Sanders, which is as clear an illustration as you?ll ever see of the power of money in US politics.
Whether it winds up being Buttigieg, Bloomberg, or one of their ideological alt-centrist clones like Amy Klobuchar or the floundering Joe Biden, the mainstream narrative will soon converge around one candidate in a very positive way, with the only important qualification being that they aren?t Bernie Sanders. Many powerful people will do everything they can to prevent a Sanders nomination, whose presidency they oppose more than Trump?s. As journalist Matt Taibbi recently pointed out, the Democratic establishment has ?every incentive to play every conceivable card. Trillions at stake.?
The primary argument used will be that defeating Trump is all that matters, even if it?s with another racist Republican plutocrat. If they succeed in sabotaging Sanders? candidacy, he will help advance the same argument, as will a majority of his supporters. This argument will click perfectly in to a foundational assumption that establishment narrative managers have spent the last three plus years reinforcing, namely that once Trump is out of office, everything will be okay.

The premise that everything will be fine once Trump is gone isn?t one people generally say out loud. They don?t even usually think it. But the fact that so many Democrats who were fine with the way their nation was being run on January 19 2017 suddenly became furiously critical of it on January 20th tells you that this assumption is at play. And the relentlessly Trump-centric liberal news media has only reinforced this unexamined assumption.
Things are not going to be okay once Trump is out of office. Do you know how I know this? Because things weren?t okay before Trump got into office. America was a murderous imperialist force whose citizenry were suffering under crushing austerity and steadily mounting authoritarianism on January 19 2017, and it remains so today. Certainly the current administration has added its own levels of nefariousness to this dynamic, but the same is true of its predecessors.
By this stage in his administration Bush had launched two full-scale ground invasions and implemented unprecedented levels of global militarism and Orwellian surveillance, while at the same stage Obama had already overtly destroyed Libya and was working on covertly doing the same to Syria. Trump has continued and expanded all of the most evil agendas of those two administrations and added immensely depraved warmongering elements of his own, but you can?t even rightly argue that he?s done anything quite so evil as what Bush did to Iraq or what Obama did to Libya and Syria. Trump is not the unprecedented presidential horror that the Democratic Party-aligned media spin him as.
Imperialist elites dislike Trump not because he?s a uniquely dangerous president, but because he puts an ugly face on the things they were already doing before he took office and plan to continue doing once he leaves. The reason many rank-and-file Democrats dislike him is similar: he forces them to think about the evil things their nation does.
They don?t actually want to fix any of these problems, they just want to stop thinking about them. They?re not interested in waking up, they just want to get an uncomfortable wrinkle out of their bedsheets so that they can go back to sleep.

John Mulaney does an under-appreciated bit at the end of his famous ?There?s a horse in the hospital? routine comparing Trump to a horse running rampant in a medical facility, where he admits he just wasn?t paying attention to what was going on during the previous administration:
Or sometimes they go, ?If you?re so mad at the horse, how come you weren?t mad when the last guy did this three and a half years ago? You?re beating up on the horse when the last guy essentially did the same thing five years ago.? First off, get out of here with your facts. You?re like the kid at the sleepover who, after midnight, is like, ?It?s tomorrow now!? Get the fuck out of here with your technicalities. Just ?cause you?re accurate does not mean you?re interesting?
But when people say, ?How come you were never mad at the last guy?? I say, ?Because I wasn?t paying attention.? I used to pay less attention before it was a horse. Also, I thought the last guy was pretty smart, and he seemed good at his job, and I?m lazy by nature. I?m lazy by nature too. So I don?t check up on people when they seem okay at their job. You may think that?s an ignorant answer but it?s not, it?s a great answer. If you left your baby with your mother tonight, you?re not going to race home and check the nanny cam. But if you leave your baby with Gary Busey?
I think this is how most mainstream liberals feel, if they?re honest with themselves. They felt like they didn?t have to pay attention to the things Obama was doing, and they want to go back to that. Even though the distance between a truly healthy society and what America was like under Obama is many orders of magnitude greater than the distance between what America was like under Obama and what America is like under Trump.
Wanting things to go back to how they were before Trump is wanting things to go back to the conditions which gave rise to Trump. The belief that everything will be peachy keen once Trump is out of office is therefore more dangerous than Trump himself, because it guarantees more Trumps, and it guarantees that the underlying disease of which Trump is a symptom will remain uncured.
Treating a symptom doesn?t cure the disease. Believing that getting rid of Trump will fix America?s problems is like believing cough syrup cures tuberculosis.
The disease is the oligarchic imperialist dystopia which is tormenting millions and controlling billions all around the world. A movement toward health doesn?t look like not having to pay attention anymore, it looks like the exact opposite: becoming fully conscious of all the ugliest and most unpleasant to look at aspects of the thing that America has become. It looks like turning and facing all the bloodshed, genocide, white supremacy, oppression, exploitation, corruption and degradation which form the fibers from which that nation has been woven, deeply ingesting and grokking into their reality, and then healing them completely.

If the narrative managers succeed in installing Pete Buttigieg or one of his ideological clones, the temptation for millions of Americans will be to go back to sleep. But America won?t be any healthier. The coughing will have stopped, but the tuberculosis will remain. The sociopathic imperialist oligarchy will continue along the exact same trajectory, but the symptom of an oafish, incompetent and ham-fisted president will have been eliminated.
And that?s all any narrative manager ever wants. Their job is to normalize the empire?s depravity and keep its highly profitable murder and exploitation from awakening the masses. That?s why propaganda is so toxic.
I?m not interested in telling Americans whether they should have Trump or some centrist Democrat in office; the odds of four more years of Trump being more disastrous than under President Pete are a toss-up as far as I can tell. But I do wish the malignant belief that eliminating Trump will solve America?s main problems could be expunged from human consciousness forever.

--Caitlin Johnstone, "The Belief That Everything Will Be Fine Once Trump?s Gone Is More Dangerous Than Trump" | Feb 12 ? 


From carl at newsfromneptune.com  Thu Feb 13 16:49:19 2020
From: carl at newsfromneptune.com (C. G. Estabrook)
Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2020 10:49:19 -0600
Subject: [Peace] =?utf-8?b?RndkOiDigJhCdXJuZWQgQXQgVGhlIFN0YWtl4oCZIC0g?=
 =?utf-8?q?The_UN_Special_Rapporteur_on_Torture_Demolishes_The_Fake_Claims?=
 =?utf-8?q?_Targeting_Julian_Assange?=
References: <20200213163908.1.B266D2C25182C426@list.medialens.org>
Message-ID: <D3C68E37-F94D-44DE-818A-939A84004258@newsfromneptune.com>



> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> From: Media Lens <editor at medialens.org>
> Subject: ?Burned At The Stake? - The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Demolishes The Fake Claims Targeting Julian Assange
> Date: February 13, 2020 at 10:39:08 AM CST
> To: galliher at illinois.edu
> 
> 
> View this email in your browser <https://www.medialens.org/2020/burned-at-the-stake-the-un-special-rapporteur-on-torture-demolishes-the-fake-claims-targeting-julian-assange/>
> ?Burned At The Stake? - The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Demolishes The Fake Claims Targeting Julian Assange
> 13th February 2020
> On the face of it, the task seems almost hopeless. As Tolstoy wrote:
> 
> ?The power of the government is maintained by public opinion, and with this power the government, by means of its organs ? its officials, law courts, schools, churches, even the press ? can always maintain the public opinion which they need.? (Leo Tolstoy, ?Writings on Non-Violence and Civil Disobedience,? New Society Publishers, 1987, p.111)
> 
> Last December, we witnessed the awesome capacity of state-corporate power to manipulate public opinion and undermine a democratic election with a ruthless propaganda campaign smearing Jeremy Corbyn, a passionate anti-racist. The campaign depicted <https://www.medialens.org/2019/reopening-auschwitz-the-conspiracy-to-stop-corbyn/> Corbyn, not just as an anti-semite, but as someone who might ?reopen Auschwitz?. The truth wasn?t just distorted, it was reversed.
> 
> Israeli-born academic and author Jamie Stern-Weiner has commented <https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/f/labours-anti-semitism-crisis-what-caused-it-and-how-well-was-it-handled>:
> 
> ?no mainstream reporter ever investigated whether the allegations against Labour were true.
> 
> ?Where journalists did not reflexively endorse the accusations against Labour, they were content to uncritically relay them alongside the party?s response.
> 
> ?Accusations by Jewish communal figures or anti-Corbyn MPs were considered inherently significant, whether or not they were accompanied by supporting evidence.?
> 
> Careful, credible analysis that made a nonsense of the claims here <https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmhaff/136/136.pdf>, here <https://cst.org.uk/data/file/7/4/JPR.2017.Antisemitism%20in%20contemporary%20Great%20Britain.1504799735.pdf> and here <https://labourlist.org/2019/02/jennie-formby-provides-numbers-on-labour-antiSemitism-cases/> was simply ignored.
> 
> Vested interests may appear to hold all the cards ? they work hard to give that impression ? but this is only an appearance. The very fact that they work so relentlessly to shape public opinion indicates the precarious nature of their dominance.
> 
> The problem is inherent, structural ? a ?democratic? society that subordinates the needs of the many to the needs of the few is a society based on lies. Propaganda obfuscating those lies can be disseminated endlessly, day and night, but it will always be vulnerable to individuals and groups with genuine expertise motivated by genuine concern for others. As the Buddhist sage Je Gampopa commented:
> 
> ?Even a single virtuous act overcomes many evils? a small good action can overcome a great wrong; it is highly efficient.? (Gampopa, ?Gems of Dharma, Jewels of Freedom,? Altea, 1994, p.135)
> 
> Following in the footsteps of senior UN officials like Denis Halliday, Hans von Sponeck and Scott Ritter ? who, between them, demolished many of the deceptions ?justifying? the genocidal 1990s US-UK sanctions regime in Iraq and the 2003 war of aggression on Iraq ? consider the ?highly efficient? comments <https://www.republik.ch/2020/01/31/nils-melzer-about-wikileaks-founder-julian-assange> made to the Swiss magazine, Republik, by Nils Melzer on Julian Assange:
> 
> ?Four democratic countries joined forces ? the U.S., Ecuador, Sweden and the UK ? to leverage their power to portray one man as a monster so that he could later be burned at the stake without any outcry. The case is a huge scandal and represents the failure of Western rule of law. If Julian Assange is convicted, it will be a death sentence for freedom of the press.?
> 
> The problem for the propaganda system targeting Assange is that Melzer is not just someone blogging on the internet; he is the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. In addition, he is a professor of international law at the University of Glasgow and holds the Human Rights Chair at the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights in Switzerland, where he has been teaching since 2009, including as the Swiss Chair of International Humanitarian Law (2011?2013). Melzer even speaks fluent Swedish. In other words, it is hard to imagine anyone better qualified to comment on the Assange case.  
> 
> Melzer describes how, on August 20, 2010, a headline appeared on the front page of Expressen, a leading Swedish tabloid, declaring that Julian Assange was suspected of having committed two rapes. Melzer describes his reaction on investigating these claims:
> 
> ?I speak fluent Swedish and was thus able to read all of the original documents. I could hardly believe my eyes: According to the testimony of the woman in question, a rape had never even taken place at all. And not only that: The woman?s testimony was later changed by the Stockholm police without her involvement in order to somehow make it sound like a possible rape. I have all the documents in my possession, the emails, the text messages.?
> 
> The order of events is extraordinary and outrageous:
> 
> ?A woman walks into a police station. She doesn?t want to file a complaint but wants to demand an HIV test. The police then decide that this could be a case of rape and a matter for public prosecutors. The woman refuses to go along with that version of events and then goes home and writes a friend that it wasn?t her intention, but the police want to ?get their hands on? Assange. Two hours later, the case is in the newspaper. As we know today, public prosecutors leaked it to the press ? and they did so without even inviting Assange to make a statement. And the second woman, who had allegedly been raped according to the Aug. 20 headline, was only questioned on Aug. 21.?
> 
> As Melzer says, this behaviour demonstrated the ?willful malevolence of the authorities?. Melzer leaves no doubt about the real significance of the rape claims:
> 
> ?Imagine a dark room. Suddenly, someone shines a light on the elephant in the room ? on war criminals, on corruption. Assange is the man with the spotlight. The governments are briefly in shock, but then they turn the spotlight around with accusations of rape. It is a classic maneuver when it comes to manipulating public opinion. The elephant once again disappears into the darkness, behind the spotlight. And Assange becomes the focus of attention instead, and we start talking about whether Assange is skateboarding in the embassy or whether he is feeding his cat correctly.?
> 
> The goal:
> 
> ?A show trial is to be used to make an example of Julian Assange. The point is to intimidate other journalists. Intimidation, by the way, is one of the primary purposes for the use of torture around the world. The message to all of us is: This is what will happen to you if you emulate the Wikileaks model.?
> 
> It is very much to Melzer?s credit that he admits that he was himself initially taken in by the propaganda campaign. He reveals that, in December 2018, he was asked by Assange?s lawyers to intervene. He declined:
> 
> ?I was overloaded with other petitions and wasn?t really familiar with the case. My impression, largely influenced by the media, was also colored by the prejudice that Julian Assange was somehow guilty and that he wanted to manipulate me.?
> 
> After Assange?s lawyers made a second request in March 2019, Melzer felt that that ?my professional integrity demanded that I at least take a look at the material?. The result:
> 
> ?It quickly became clear to me that something was wrong.?
> 
> With unprecedented clarity, Melzer unpacks the meaning of the many bizarre twists and turns in the political persecution of Assange. Was it true, as so many journalists claim, that Assange sought asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy to evade Swedish justice? Melzer comments:
> 
> ?The [Assange] lawyers say that during the nearly seven years in which Assange lived in the Ecuadorian Embassy, they made over 30 offers to arrange for Assange to visit Sweden ? in exchange for a guarantee that he would not be extradited to the U.S. The Swedes declined to provide such a guarantee by arguing that the U.S. had not made a formal request for extradition.?
> 
> Was this standard practice?
> 
> ?Such diplomatic assurances are a routine international practice? I say this on the strength of all of my experience behind the scenes of standard international practice: If a country refuses to provide such a diplomatic assurance, then all doubts about the good intentions of the country in question are justified. Why shouldn?t Sweden provide such assurances? From a legal perspective, after all, the U.S. has absolutely nothing to do with Swedish sex offense proceedings.?
> 
> Melzer was asked if it was normal, or legally acceptable, for Swedish authorities to travel abroad for such an interrogation:
> 
> ?For exactly these kinds of judiciary issues, there is a cooperation treaty between the United Kingdom and Sweden, which foresees that Swedish officials can travel to the UK, or vice versa, to conduct interrogations or that such questioning can take place via video link. During the period of time in question, such questioning between Sweden and England took place in 44 other cases. It was only in Julian Assange?s case that Sweden insisted that it was essential for him to appear in person.?
> 
> Melzer?s conclusion:
> 
> ?From my perspective, Sweden very clearly acted in bad faith. Had they acted in good faith, there would have been no reason to refuse to answer my questions. The same holds true for the British: Following my visit to Assange in May 2019, they took six months to answer me ? in a single-page letter, which was primarily limited to rejecting all accusations of torture and all inconsistencies in the legal proceedings. If you?re going to play games like that, then what?s the point of my mandate? I am the Special Rapporteur on Torture for the United Nations. I have a mandate to ask clear questions and to demand answers.?
> 
> He adds:
> 
> ?There is only a single explanation for everything ? for the refusal to grant diplomatic assurances, for the refusal to question him in London: They wanted to apprehend him so they could extradite him to the U.S. The number of breaches of law that accumulated in Sweden within just a few weeks during the preliminary criminal investigation is simply grotesque.?
> 
> The media version was rather different. In 2012, the Guardian?s Laura Barton wrote <https://www.theguardian.com/media/shortcuts/2012/jul/31/our-mercy-mission-for-julian-assange> of Assange and the Ecuadorian embassy:
> 
> ?Poor Julian. It can?t be easy to be confined to one building, no matter how prestigious the postcode? And so we decided to assemble a collection of items that Assange might be missing, and deliver them.?
> 
> A photograph showed an unsmiling Barton delivering a Guardian hamper to their bete noire at the Ecuadorian embassy:
> 
> ?we packed our hamper with a selection of edible items not native to Ecuador ? Kellogg?s cornflakes fortified with vitamin D to compensate for the lack of sunlight in Assange?s life, a jar of Vegemite (as an antipodean, Julian was likely to spurn Marmite), a packet of chocolate-chip cookies, and a punnet of clementines.
> 
> ?Recalling that Bill Keller, editor of the New York Times, once remarked upon Assange?s questionable hygiene and the fact he wore ?filthy white socks? we added three pairs of crisp, white sports socks and a shower gel in the ?feelgood fragrance of eucalyptus and citrus oils? that promised to be both ?revitalizing? and ?refreshing.??
> 
> We have documented many similar examples of this relentless, ferocious and frankly weird corporate media mockery of Assange here <https://www.medialens.org/2012/incinerating-assange-the-liberal-media-go-to-work-sp-1707777774/> and here <https://www.medialens.org/2019/mirthless-laugh-the-persecution-and-torture-of-julian-assange/>.
> 
> Assange is currently being held in London?s Belmarsh prison prior to a hearing that will determine if he is to be extradited to the US. He has already served a 50-week sentence for skipping bail. Melzer comments on this sentence:
> 
> ?It is obvious that what we are dealing with here is political persecution. In Britain, bail violations seldom lead to prison sentences ? they are generally subject only to fines. Assange, by contrast, was sentenced in summary proceedings to 50 weeks in a maximum-security prison ? clearly a disproportionate penalty that had only a single purpose: Holding Assange long enough for the U.S. to prepare their espionage case against him.?
> 
> A US grand jury has indicted Assange on 18 charges ? 17 of which fall under the US Espionage Act ? around conspiracy to receive, obtain and disclose classified diplomatic and military documents. Melzer explains why Assange has no chance of receiving justice in the US:
> 
> ?He will not receive a trial consistent with the rule of law. That?s another reason why his extradition shouldn?t be allowed. Assange will receive a trial-by-jury in Alexandria, Virginia ? the notorious ?Espionage Court? where the U.S. tries all national security cases. The choice of location is not by coincidence, because the jury members must be chosen in proportion to the local population, and 85 percent of Alexandria residents work in the national security community ? at the CIA, the NSA, the Defense Department and the State Department. When people are tried for harming national security in front of a jury like that, the verdict is clear from the very beginning. The cases are always tried in front of the same judge behind closed doors and on the strength of classified evidence. Nobody has ever been acquitted there in a case like that. The result being that most defendants reach a settlement, in which they admit to partial guilt so as to receive a milder sentence.?
> 
> Meanwhile, Assange?s physical condition has continued to deteriorate:
> 
> ?I visited Assange in his cell in London in May 2019 together with two experienced, widely respected doctors who are specialized in the forensic and psychological examination of torture victims. The diagnosis arrived at by the two doctors was clear: Julian Assange displays the typical symptoms of psychological torture. If he doesn?t receive protection soon, a rapid deterioration of his health is likely, and death could be one outcome.?
> 
> Melzer?s conclusions are utterly damning:
> 
> ?We have to stop believing that there was really an interest in leading an investigation into a sexual offense. What Wikileaks did is a threat to the political elite in the U.S., Britain, France and Russia in equal measure. Wikileaks publishes secret state information ? they are opposed to classification. And in a world, even in so-called mature democracies, where secrecy has become rampant, that is seen as a fundamental threat.?
> 
> He adds:
> 
> ?We give countries power and delegate it to governments ? but in return, they must be held accountable for how they exercise that power. If we don?t demand that they be held accountable, we will lose our rights sooner or later. Humans are not democratic by their nature. Power corrupts if it is not monitored. Corruption is the result if we do not insist that power be monitored.?
> 
> His final thoughts are an urgent warning to us all:
> 
> ?I have seen lots of horrors and violence and have seen how quickly peaceful countries like Yugoslavia or Rwanda can transform into infernos. At the roots of such developments are always a lack of transparency and unbridled political or economic power combined with the naivete, indifference and malleability of the population. Suddenly, that which always happened to the other ? unpunished torture, rape, expulsion and murder ? can just as easily happen to us or our children. And nobody will care. I can promise you that.?
> 
> We tweeted <https://twitter.com/medialens/status/1225339847579181057> the Guardian editor and a number of key Guardian journalists who have commented on Assange:
> 
> ?For the first time, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Nils Melzer, speaks in detail about the explosive findings of his investigation into the case of Julian Assange. Please read and comment @KathViner @MarinaHyde @suzanne_moore @GeorgeMonbiot @HadleyFreeman @OwenJones84?
> 
> We also tweeted <https://twitter.com/medialens/status/1225347924659494913>:
> 
> ?As @NilsMelzer says, a failure to respond to his findings indicates a lack of good faith. Please respond @KathViner @MarinaHyde @suzanne_moore @GeorgeMonbiot @HadleyFreeman @OwenJones84?
> 
> We also wrote <https://twitter.com/medialens/status/1226809943753416704> to Ash Sarkar, contributing editor at Novara Media, who described Assange on Twitter as ?a definite creep, a probable rapist, a conspiracist whackjob?:
> 
> ?Hi @AyoCaesar, will you please respond to these comments from @NilsMelzer, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, on attempts to portray Julian Assange ?as a monster so that he could later be burned at the stake without any outcry?? @novaramedia @AaronBastani?
> 
> We received no answer from any of the journalists contacted (to be fair to Monbiot and Jones, having blocked us on Twitter for sending them polite, rational challenges, they may not have seen our tweet).
> 
> Despite the credibility and integrity of the source, and the obvious newsworthiness of the issue, our ProQuest database search finds that Nils Melzer and his comments published in Republik on 31 January have not been mentioned in any US or UK media outlet.
> 
> DE
> 
> Share
> This alert is archived here:
> 
> ?Burned At The Stake? - The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Demolishes The Fake Claims Targeting Julian Assange <https://www.medialens.org/2020/burned-at-the-stake-the-un-special-rapporteur-on-torture-demolishes-the-fake-claims-targeting-julian-assange/>
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> Books
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> 
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> 
> The second Media Lens book, 'NEWSPEAK in the 21st Century' <https://www.medialens.org/bookshop/newspeak-in-the-21st-century/>, was published in 2009, also by Pluto Press.
> 
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Fri Feb 14 01:04:35 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2020 17:04:35 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Law in the US is not justice
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB2875DC4F8EAF7AD28347E611A3150@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

https://therealnews.com/stories/us-govt-attempts-railroad-venezuelan-embassy-protectors <https://therealnews.com/stories/us-govt-attempts-railroad-venezuelan-embassy-protectors>
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Fri Feb 14 01:04:35 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2020 17:04:35 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Law in the US is not justice
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB2875DC4F8EAF7AD28347E611A3150@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

https://therealnews.com/stories/us-govt-attempts-railroad-venezuelan-embassy-protectors <https://therealnews.com/stories/us-govt-attempts-railroad-venezuelan-embassy-protectors>
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From jbn at forestfield.org  Fri Feb 14 01:49:14 2020
From: jbn at forestfield.org (J.B. Nicholson)
Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2020 19:49:14 -0600
Subject: [Peace] Notes
Message-ID: <4e0fc64c-f94b-28f2-7688-31524990123a@forestfield.org>

So many things Pres. Trump somehow didn't find time to fit into the State of the 
Union speech. So many things to discuss and get into for News from Neptune and AWARE 
on the Air.

Break a leg, guys.

-J




https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/02/donald-trump-will-run-to-the-left

This article doesn't mention healthcare but healthcare presents an interesting 
guarantee for Trump to get a 2nd term: if he publicly pledges to sign into law either 
Sanders' or Jayapal's Medicare for All bills as currently-written and published (no 
changes) if Congress passes either bill. The Democrats will get another golden 
opportunity to pass a Medicare for All bill and show us whether they're sincere in 
their repeatedly stated interest in pursuing Medicare for All. The last time the 
Democrats had a golden opportunity to show us what they thought of Medicare for All 
was during the Obama administration when the Democrats held a majority in both houses 
of Congress and passed Obamacare (an HMO-written, HMO-backed plan to continue the 
status quo with some relatively minor changes) instead of HR676, John Conyers' 
Medicare for All bill which was highly reviewed and approved of by those who follow 
such bills.

Getting to the article which focuses on how the Democrats could defeat Trump in the 
upcoming election:

> To run against Trump, you need to be fully prepared for the fact that he can take
> any position on any issue at any time. He?s been for abortion and against it,
> pro-war and anti-war, tough on crime and the friend of the unjustly imprisoned. To
> beat this, you need to have a clear, powerful, and effective message of your own,
> and you can?t run someone who is themselves open to charges of lies and
> hypocrisy.
> 
> What too few people still understand about Donald Trump is that Trump is
> formidable. He crushed every Republican in the 2016 primary, and took out the
> extremely powerful Hillary Clinton. The Apprentice was the #1 show for so long
> because Trump has a talent for entertaining people and drawing attention to
> himself. Democrats are constantly falling into the ?Trump trap? by obsessing over
> him and criticizing his character flaws, not realizing that every moment they are
> doing so they are squandering opportunities to present their own alternative.
> (This is why I?ve been so annoyed by the whole impeachment proceeding, which seems
> to me like it probably just bores and confuses most people.)
> 
> But Trump can be defeated. He has weaknesses. For one thing, everything about
> Trump is fake.

jbn: But it is difficult to find a weakness in Trump in which the Democrats aren't 
also complicit.





Economy: Student loan debt that stays with you for the rest of your life.

https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/02/student-debt-forgiveness-lets-do-some-math

This article asks "What would it cost to wipe out everybody?s student loans?"

> [If] everyone who owed a student loan was able to pay back their debt, the federal
> government would lose more than $1.5 trillion in future revenue by forgiving it
> all. But if a substantial number of people are likely to struggle for 25 years or
> die in debt, never paying off more than a fraction of the loan, then forgiving all
> debt will cost much less than $1.5 trillion.[3] So which is it? How much does it
> actually cost to forgive student debt?
> 
> No one knows. As Jordan Weissmann noted last year in Slate, even the wonkiest
> wonks don?t have a way to figure this out. The Department of Education doesn?t
> publish the data you?d need to get a reasonably accurate picture of student loan
> repayment and estimate the cost of forgiveness. What we?d need to know is how many
> people are likely to get forgiveness already. That means we need to know how many
> people are stuck in income-based repayment and likely to remain there, and how
> many people are likely to die before they pay their full balance (or, often, any
> of their balance). The Department of Education doesn?t publish any of this
> information.




Danny Haiphong on "Why Attacking the Green Party to Assist the War Party Helps Donald 
Trump, Not Bernie Sanders"

https://www.blackagendareport.com/why-attacking-green-party-assist-war-party-helps-donald-trump-not-bernie-sanders 
--

> The authors of the letter appear to be just as disinterested in the facts of the
> 2016 election as the top brass of the War Party. That?s because politics are about
> power, not facts. If politics were about facts, the authors of the letter would
> focus more of their attention on the actual policies associated with the War Party
> than with the electoral strategy of the Green Party. Workers, especially Black
> Americans, have seen their standard of living decimated by the War Party?s policy
> agenda. Thus, time would be better spent condemning the War Party for passing
> bloated military budgets that kill millions of people abroad, submitting workers
> to brutal, job-killing austerity measures, and fortifying the domestic
> police-state through the reauthorization of the Patriot Act. In the final
> analysis, a public attack that characterizes the Green Party as a of spoiler for
> the Democrats amounts to a defense of these policies and the larger system of U.S.
> imperialism which produces them.
> 
> Chomsky et al. have clearly missed the political target. Bernie Sanders? rise to
> the top of the War Party?s field of candidates is a signal that millions of
> people, most of them workers, are sick and tired of politics as usual in
> Washington. If David Frum?s recent article in The Atlantic is any indication, then
> it is clear that the neocons and capitalists in control of the War Party are
> prepared to do anything they can to prevent a Sanders presidency, even if that
> means providing tacit support to a second term for Donald Trump. A party
> controlled by capitalists is a party that cannot fulfill the interests of the
> working class. The Green Party exists to offer an alternative to those who not
> only want to see Medicare for All and peace become realities in our lifetime, but
> also understand that a political system designed to keep workers and poor people
> completely destitute of political power must be completely transformed into its
> opposite before a socialist policy agenda takes shape in the United States. It is
> here where the authors of the letter are in fundamental disagreement with the
> Green Party, its supporters, and anyone who stands for peace and social justice.
> They claim to want to help Sanders win but repeat the talking points of the very
> same people who stampeded his 2016 campaign and handed Trump the White House. Such
> behavior won?t gain the left any friends with the workers and the oppressed and
> should be ignored entirely.




Assange: Doctors for Assange interviews from Consortium News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aC_e4e-R5bM -- Dr. Sue Wareham
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkLtylEgec0 -- Dr. Jill Stein
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2y38x-cHqs -- Dr. Robert Marr
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fePJLIVc1_g -- Dr. Derek Summerfield

Related:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3ZX2_FRfe0 -- Foreign Minister of Ecuador, Guillaume 
Long, on why Assange was granted asylum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hZQDmqVhk4 -- John Pilger calls on Australia to help 
Julian Assange (July 2018)



Economy: Redacted Tonight has us covered on the "gig economy" exploitation

The economic links this week come to us courtesy of the only comedy news show worth 
watching, Redacted Tonight.

"Uber drivers often make below minimum wage, report finds"
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/01/uber-lyft-driver-wages-median-report 
-- A reminder of what we were told over a year ago:

> Uber and Lyft drivers in the US make a median profit of as little as $8.55 per
> hour before taxes, according to a new report that suggests a majority of
> ride-share workers make below minimum wage and that some actually lose money.
> 
> Researchers did an analysis of vehicle cost data and a survey of more than 1,100
> drivers for the ride-hailing companies for the paper, published by the
> Massachusetts Institute of Technology?s Center for Energy and Environmental Policy
> Research. The first draft of the paper, released last month, said the median
> profit was $3.37 an hour, but the author released a new analysis on Monday
> following criticism from Uber.
> 
> In the new analysis, the researcher reported the higher median profit of $8.55 an
> hour. The study, which factored in insurance, maintenance, repairs, fuel and other
> costs, also said that for 54% of drivers, the profit is less than the minimum wage
> in their states and that 8% of drivers are losing money on the job.

"DoorDash drivers make an average of $1.45 an hour, analysis finds"
https://www.salon.com/2020/01/19/doordash-drivers-make-an-average-of-145-an-hour-analysis-finds/

> The national minimum wage of $7.25 an hour has not changed in a decade, and there
> is widespread agreement that it is far below what constitutes a living wage
> anyway. As if the statistics on the federal minimum wage weren't dismal enough,
> leave it to Silicon Valley to figure out "innovative" ways to pay workers even
> less. A new, in-depth quantitative study released this week, as part of a worker
> campaign in collaboration with the worker rights non-profit Working Washington,
> found that contract delivery workers for food delivery company DoorDash earn $1.45
> per hour on average, after other expenses are accounted for.
> 
> DoorDash is an on-demand prepared food delivery service. The basic premise is that
> the compay's contract delivery drivers, or "Dashers," deliver food to customers
> who order on the mobile app. Similar to Uber drivers or TaskRabbit workers, the
> company advertises that, by becoming a Dasher, you can "be your own boss" and
> "enjoy the flexibility of choosing when, where, and how much you earn."
> 
> Working Washington crunched pay data from 229 delivery jobs from Dashers around
> the United States, and found that the workers were making an average of $1.45 an
> hour, after taking into account the costs of mileage, additional payroll taxes
> that add up for independent contractors, and the lost work time as workers wait
> for the next job. All of the data was from November and December 2019, after the
> company implemented a new pay model. The estimates made in the study don't take
> into account the cost of paying for public insurance benefits. They only factor in
> work expenses beyond mileage and payroll taxes ? which means the real wages may be
> even more depressing.

> The report states:
> 
> "Nearly a third of [DoorDash] jobs actually pay less than $0 after accounting for
> these basic expenses. Just 11% of jobs pay more than the federal minimum wage of
> $7.25/hour, after expenses, and only 2% meet the standard of $15 + expenses.
> Further, jobs with higher tips still tend to include lower pay: the set of jobs
> with tips of less than $1 pay 1.8 times as much as those jobs with tips of more
> than $8, on a gross hourly pay basis."
> 
> In November 2019, DoorDash claimed its new pay model would result in gross hourly
> earnings of more than $18.
> 
> But as the report explains, it's unclear what qualifies as "gross" earnings:
> 
> "The company has declined to disclose how much of that gross amount is tips, how
> much is pay from the company, how many miles workers drive (and thus much much
> mileage expense they incur), what periods of time they consider to be part of an
> 'active hour,' or other details and costs involved in achieving that reported
> level of gross earnings."
> 
> What it boils down to is that DoorDash has created a pay model in which workers
> appear to be making a decent wage on paper, but which, after expenses, is barely
> more than $0. Worse, only 11 percent of DoorDash jobs paid above the U.S.'s
> laughable federal minimum wage.
> 
> Yet DoorDash's manipulative exploitation of its workers is evidently great for its
> business model and its investors. According to CNBC, Doordash seized one-third of
> the digital food delivery sales in the U.S. market in 2019.

"The American March to Inequality: Why the UN Alston Report Alarms the Trump Plutocrats"
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2018/06/23/american-march-inequality-why-un-alston-report-alarms-trump-plutocrats 
-- from June 2018

UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston's report "loads of light on how unequal a society 
America is, how it is marching rapidly toward even greater, Third World levels of 
inequality, and how peculiar the US is, as a land of rapacious robber barons and 40 
million completely marginalized poor."

> Already, the top 0.1% holds as much of the country?s wealth as the bottom 90%
> (i.e. almost everyone reading these words).

Alston wrote:

> *US infant mortality rates in 2013 were the highest in the developed world.
> 
> *Americans can expect to live shorter and sicker lives, compared to people living
> in any other rich democracy, and the ?health gap? between the U.S. and its peer
> countries continues to grow.
> 
> *U.S. inequality levels are far higher than those in most European countries
> 
> *Neglected tropical diseases, including Zika, are increasingly common in the USA.
> It has been estimated that 12 million Americans live with a neglected parasitic
> infection. A 2017 report documents the prevalence of hookworm in Lowndes County,
> Alabama.
> 
> *The US has the highest prevalence of obesity in the developed world.
> 
> *In terms of access to water and sanitation the US ranks 36th in the world.
> 
> *America has the highest incarceration rate in the world, ahead of Turkmenistan,
> El Salvador, Cuba, Thailand and the Russian Federation. Its rate is nearly 5 times
> the OECD average.
> 
> *The youth poverty rate in the United States is the highest across the OECD with
> one quarter of youth living in poverty compared to less than 14% across the OECD.

Related:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj3EMePsU-Y -- Rania Khalek on the Alabama sewage 
crisis referred to above which leads to hookworm.





Danny Sjursen on "America and Israel Against the World"
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/america-and-israel-against-the-world/
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2020/02/13/america-and-israel-against-world




Prison: Why do we lock up so many people?
Adam Gopnik on "The Caging of America"
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/01/30/the-caging-of-america

> For most privileged, professional people, the experience of confinement is a mere
> brush, encountered after a kid?s arrest, say. For a great many poor people in
> America, particularly poor black men, prison is a destination that braids through
> an ordinary life, much as high school and college do for rich white ones. More
> than half of all black men without a high-school diploma go to prison at some time
> in their lives. Mass incarceration on a scale almost unexampled in human history
> is a fundamental fact of our country today?perhaps the fundamental fact, as
> slavery was the fundamental fact of 1850. In truth, there are more black men in
> the grip of the criminal-justice system?in prison, on probation, or on parole?than
> were in slavery then. Over all, there are now more people under ?correctional
> supervision? in America?more than six million?than were in the Gulag Archipelago
> under Stalin at its height. That city of the confined and the controlled,
> Lockuptown, is now the second largest in the United States.
> 
> The accelerating rate of incarceration over the past few decades is just as
> startling as the number of people jailed: in 1980, there were about two hundred
> and twenty people incarcerated for every hundred thousand Americans; by 2010, the
> number had more than tripled, to seven hundred and thirty-one. No other country
> even approaches that. In the past two decades, the money that states spend on
> prisons has risen at six times the rate of spending on higher education. Ours is,
> bottom to top, a ?carceral state,? in the flat verdict of Conrad Black, the former
> conservative press lord and newly minted reformer, who right now finds himself
> imprisoned in Florida, thereby adding a new twist to an old joke: A conservative
> is a liberal who?s been mugged; a liberal is a conservative who?s been indicted;
> and a passionate prison reformer is a conservative who?s in one.
> 
> The scale and the brutality of our prisons are the moral scandal of American life.
> Every day, at least fifty thousand men?a full house at Yankee Stadium?wake in
> solitary confinement, often in ?supermax? prisons or prison wings, in which men
> are locked in small cells, where they see no one, cannot freely read and write,
> and are allowed out just once a day for an hour?s solo ?exercise.? (Lock yourself
> in your bathroom and then imagine you have to stay there for the next ten years,
> and you will have some sense of the experience.) Prison rape is so endemic?more
> than seventy thousand prisoners are raped each year?that it is routinely held out
> as a threat, part of the punishment to be expected. The subject is standard fodder
> for comedy, and an unco?perative suspect being threatened with rape in prison is
> now represented, every night on television, as an ordinary and rather lovable bit
> of policing. The normalization of prison rape?like eighteenth-century japery about
> watching men struggle as they die on the gallows?will surely strike our
> descendants as chillingly sadistic, incomprehensible on the part of people who
> thought themselves civilized. Though we avoid looking directly at prisons, they
> seep obliquely into our fashions and manners. Wealthy white teen-agers in baggy
> jeans and laceless shoes and multiple tattoos show, unconsciously, the reality of
> incarceration that acts as a hidden foundation for the country.
> 
> How did we get here? How is it that our civilization, which rejects hanging and
> flogging and disembowelling, came to believe that caging vast numbers of people
> for decades is an acceptably humane sanction? There?s a fairly large recent
> scholarly literature on the history and sociology of crime and punishment, and it
> tends to trace the American zeal for punishment back to the nineteenth century,
> apportioning blame in two directions. There?s an essentially Northern explanation,
> focussing on the inheritance of the notorious Eastern State Penitentiary, in
> Philadelphia, and its ?reformist? tradition; and a Southern explanation, which
> sees the prison system as essentially a slave plantation continued by other means.
> Robert Perkinson, the author of the Southern revisionist tract ?Texas Tough: The
> Rise of America?s Prison Empire,? traces two ancestral lines, ?from the North, the
> birthplace of rehabilitative penology, to the South, the fountainhead of
> subjugationist discipline.? In other words, there?s the scientific taste for
> reducing men to numbers and the slave owners? urge to reduce blacks to brutes.
> 
> William J. Stuntz, a professor at Harvard Law School who died shortly before his
> masterwork, ?The Collapse of American Criminal Justice,? was published, last fall,
> is the most forceful advocate for the view that the scandal of our prisons derives
> from the Enlightenment-era, ?procedural? nature of American justice. He runs
> through the immediate causes of the incarceration epidemic: the growth of
> post-Rockefeller drug laws, which punished minor drug offenses with major prison
> time; ?zero tolerance? policing, which added to the group; mandatory-sentencing
> laws, which prevented judges from exercising judgment. But his search for the
> ultimate cause leads deeper, all the way to the Bill of Rights. In a society where
> Constitution worship is still a requisite on right and left alike, Stuntz
> startlingly suggests that the Bill of Rights is a terrible document with which to
> start a justice system?much inferior to the exactly contemporary French
> Declaration of the Rights of Man, which Jefferson, he points out, may have helped
> shape while his prot?g? Madison was writing ours.
> 
> The trouble with the Bill of Rights, he argues, is that it emphasizes process and
> procedure rather than principles. The Declaration of the Rights of Man says, Be
> just! The Bill of Rights says, Be fair! Instead of announcing general
> principles?no one should be accused of something that wasn?t a crime when he did
> it; cruel punishments are always wrong; the goal of justice is, above all, that
> justice be done?it talks procedurally. You can?t search someone without a reason;
> you can?t accuse him without allowing him to see the evidence; and so on. This
> emphasis, Stuntz thinks, has led to the current mess, where accused criminals get
> laboriously articulated protection against procedural errors and no protection at
> all against outrageous and obvious violations of simple justice. You can get off
> if the cops looked in the wrong car with the wrong warrant when they found your
> joint, but you have no recourse if owning the joint gets you locked up for life.
> You may be spared the death penalty if you can show a problem with your appointed
> defender, but it is much harder if there is merely enormous accumulated evidence
> that you weren?t guilty in the first place and the jury got it wrong. Even clauses
> that Americans are taught to revere are, Stuntz maintains, unworthy of reverence:
> the ban on ?cruel and unusual punishment? was designed to protect cruel
> punishments?flogging and branding?that were not at that time unusual.
> 
> The obsession with due process and the cult of brutal prisons, the argument goes,
> share an essential impersonality. The more professionalized and procedural a
> system is, the more insulated we become from its real effects on real people.
> That?s why America is famous both for its process-driven judicial system (?The
> bastard got off on a technicality,? the cop-show detective fumes) and for the
> harshness and inhumanity of its prisons. Though all industrialized societies
> started sending more people to prison and fewer to the gallows in the eighteenth
> century, it was in Enlightenment-inspired America that the taste for long-term,
> profoundly depersonalized punishment became most aggravated. The inhumanity of
> American prisons was as much a theme for Dickens, visiting America in 1842, as the
> cynicism of American lawyers. His shock when he saw the Eastern State
> Penitentiary, in Philadelphia?a ?model? prison, at the time the most expensive
> public building ever constructed in the country, where every prisoner was kept in
> silent, separate confinement?still resonates:
> 
> "I believe that very few men are capable of estimating the immense amount of
> torture and agony which this dreadful punishment, prolonged for years, inflicts
> upon the sufferers. . . . I hold this slow and daily tampering with the mysteries
> of the brain, to be immeasurably worse than any torture of the body: and because
> its ghastly signs and tokens are not so palpable to the eye and sense of touch as
> scars upon the flesh; because its wounds are not upon the surface, and it extorts
> few cries that human ears can hear; therefore I the more denounce it, as a secret
> punishment which slumbering humanity is not roused up to stay."
> 
> Not roused up to stay?that was the point. Once the procedure ends, the penalty
> begins, and, as long as the cruelty is routine, our civil responsibility toward
> the punished is over. We lock men up and forget about their existence. For
> Dickens, even the corrupt but communal debtors? prisons of old London were better
> than this. ?Don?t take it personally!??that remains the slogan above the gate to
> the American prison Inferno. Nor is this merely a historian?s vision. Conrad
> Black, at the high end, has a scary and persuasive picture of how his counsel, the
> judge, and the prosecutors all merrily congratulated each other on their combined
> professional excellence just before sending him off to the hoosegow for several
> years. If a millionaire feels that way, imagine how the ordinary culprit must
> feel.

Related:
https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/cpus16.pdf -- DOJ report which includes:

> At year-end 2016, about 1 in 38 persons in the United States were under
> correctional supervision.


From brussel at illinois.edu  Fri Feb 14 19:33:27 2020
From: brussel at illinois.edu (Brussel, Morton K)
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2020 19:33:27 +0000
Subject: [Peace] Sanders foreign policy
Message-ID: <25A4979B-C6CC-45D6-807C-6714FFF7D8FB@illinois.edu>

See https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/14/sand-f14.html

A shocking, and sad? revelation? Thus, there are no candidates of the major parties who are, unquestionably, antiwar and anti-imperialist.
The USA is threatened by no nation, albeit much of its ?1% class, their institutions, and the reigning elites may feel their pecuniary and ideological interests challenged.

For some reason?considered as spam??this message was not delivered to the address peace-discuss at anti-war. net. Not the first time. Any ideas why?

?mkb
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From cgestabrook at gmail.com  Fri Feb 14 20:45:51 2020
From: cgestabrook at gmail.com (C G Estabrook)
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2020 14:45:51 -0600
Subject: [Peace] I just signed this petition -- will you?
Message-ID: <CAN_ZZBOpibqXwkrLYq4Z0nfcA2rux02NBedJb_dySOeN4UuLdA@mail.gmail.com>

Dear Friends,

I just signed the campaign: DO NOT EXTRADITE JULIAN ASSANGE to the USA

I ask you to add your name to this important issue. Every name that is
added builds momentum around the campaign and makes it more likely for us
to get the change we want to see.

Will you join me by taking action on this campaign?

https://diy.rootsaction.org/petitions/judge-baraitser-do-not-extradite-julian-assange-to-the-usa?share=7140fcdb-17ff-4d34-8110-ebfaad34b1d5&source=email-share-button&utm_source=email

After you've signed the petition please also take a moment to share it with
others.  It is quick and easy ? all you need to do is forward this email.

Thank you!
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Sat Feb 15 00:29:12 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2020 16:29:12 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Good News!! A mistrial was declared for the Embassy
 Protection collective.
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB2875F8DB369C12F07418DCCEA3140@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

Let?s hope a new trial won?t take place?..


https://www.mintpressnews.com/mistrial-declared-kafkaesque-trial-venezuela-embassy-protection-collective/265004/?fbclid=IwAR2f5y7MWGe4EMVgkRTk <https://www.mintpressnews.com/mistrial-declared-kafkaesque-trial-venezuela-embassy-protection-collective/265004/?fbclid=IwAR2f5y7MWGe4EMVgkRTk>
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Sat Feb 15 19:13:03 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen)
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2020 11:13:03 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Fwd: We Gathered over 1000 Antiwar Petition Signatures
References: <44da47b9bc7993781cba050fb.11c0bd6007.20200215174420.7c90b9e529.9d9be8c8@mail120.suw151.rsgsv.net>
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB28758C437F79625E84236D5CA3140@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>


> Reply-To: Stefanie <stefanie at stefanie2020.com>
> 
> View this email in your browser <https://mailchi.mp/52d22a49e57a/we-gathered-over-1000-antiwar-petition-signatures?e=11c0bd6007>
> 
> We Collected Over 1,000 Antiwar Signatures!
> When we said "No War with Iran," we meant it. Through our issues-first canvassing efforts, Stefanie's campaign has collected over 1,000 antiwar petition signatures, and we are still canvassing.
> 
> You might have heard about the Senate passing a resolution asserting their war powers this past week [1]. Trump has previously vetoed the war powers resolution regarding Yemen [2] and he is likely to do the same again.
>  
> 
> Support our issues-first antiwar canvasses!
> Click Here to Donate $10 Representing $0.01 per Signature!
>  <https://stefanie2020.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=44da47b9bc7993781cba050fb&id=d05bf8c5da&e=11c0bd6007>
> Want to pledge $0.01 for all of our different issues canvasses?
> Pledge Here!
>  <https://stefanie2020.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=44da47b9bc7993781cba050fb&id=bbcd012ffa&e=11c0bd6007>
> We stand for the working and marginalized community members. And we will continue to do issues-first canvassing.
> 
> Solidarity, and power to the people!
> 
> - Stefanie Smith Team
> References
> [1] https://www.democracynow.org/2020/2/14/headlines/senate_passes_resolution_limiting_trump_s_war_powers_authority <https://stefanie2020.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=44da47b9bc7993781cba050fb&id=eb2dca0e76&e=11c0bd6007>
> [2] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/16/us/politics/trump-veto-yemen.html <https://stefanie2020.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=44da47b9bc7993781cba050fb&id=8eecf16610&e=11c0bd6007>
>  <https://stefanie2020.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=44da47b9bc7993781cba050fb&id=747ee1a808&e=11c0bd6007>
>  <https://stefanie2020.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=44da47b9bc7993781cba050fb&id=09f9609334&e=11c0bd6007>
>  <https://stefanie2020.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=44da47b9bc7993781cba050fb&id=7665d45a71&e=11c0bd6007>
> Copyright ? 2020 Stefanie Smith for the People, All rights reserved. 
> You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. 
> 
> Our mailing address is: 
> Stefanie Smith for the People
> PO Box 662
> Urbana, IL 61803-0662
> 
> Add us to your address book <https://stefanie2020.us4.list-manage.com/vcard?u=44da47b9bc7993781cba050fb&id=d8c6923b18>
> 
> Want to change how you receive these emails?
> You can update your preferences <https://stefanie2020.us4.list-manage.com/profile?u=44da47b9bc7993781cba050fb&id=d8c6923b18&e=11c0bd6007> or unsubscribe from this list <https://stefanie2020.us4.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=44da47b9bc7993781cba050fb&id=d8c6923b18&e=11c0bd6007&c=7c90b9e529>. 
> 
>  <http://www.mailchimp.com/monkey-rewards/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=monkey_rewards&aid=44da47b9bc7993781cba050fb&afl=1> 

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From jbn at forestfield.org  Sun Feb 16 02:27:22 2020
From: jbn at forestfield.org (J.B. Nicholson)
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2020 20:27:22 -0600
Subject: [Peace] News From Neptune #451 notes
Message-ID: <790e735a-926c-cb6c-7e99-2bb7172a52a7@forestfield.org>

News From Neptune #451
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EPfBzOAwcw
A "Trump is Not the Problem" edition

A list of links to items referenced on the show.

Caitlin Johnstone on "The Belief That Everything Will Be Fine Once Trump?s Gone Is 
More Dangerous Than Trump"
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2020/02/13/the-belief-that-everything-will-be-fine-once-trumps-gone-is-more-dangerous-than-trump/

Matthew Lee and Kathy Gannon on "Official says US, Taliban reach Afghanistan truce 
agreement"
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/pompeo-esper-meet-afghan-president-153606581.html
https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/national/u-s-taliban-reach-truce-agreement-that-could-lead-to-withdrawals-of-american-troops-official-says
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/pompeo-esper-meet-afghan-president-on-cusp-of-taliban-deal/2020/02/14/2e4f0174-4f40-11ea-967b-e074d302c7d4_story.html




Jimmy Dore show on Chris Matthews fearing execution under a Bernie Sanders administration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59xWVNIk7cg

StPetePolls.org poll conducted for FloridaPolitics.com claiming Michael Bloomberg is 
taking the lead in Florida
http://stpetepolls.org/files/StPetePolls_2020_State_DEMprimaryFebruary13_YBN5.pdf
https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-02-14/poll-finds-michael-bloomberg-leads-among-democrats-in-florida

Independence (probability theory)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_(probability_theory)
Simple English: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_(statistics)

Steven Salaita on "How Bernie Sanders Became a Fighter for Palestine"
https://stevesalaita.com/how-bernie-sanders-became-a-fighter-for-palestine/
https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/02/13/how-bernie-sanders-became-a-fighter-for-palestine/

Norman Finkelstein on "The Two-State Solution is Dead"
https://imemc.org/article/norman-finkelstein-the-two-state-solution-is-dead/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx5k3E47AoQ -- related on Finkelstein critiquing BDS 
and Two-State Solution

Abby Martin sues State of Georgia over law requiring anti-BDS pledge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEMGvl0TfH0

Related coverage:
https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Antisemitism/Documentary-filmmaker-files-federal-lawsuit-against-Georgias-antiBDS-law-617329
https://www.greanvillepost.com/2020/02/11/journalist-abby-martin-sues-state-of-georgia-over-law-requiring-pledge-of-allegiance-to-israel/
https://www.rt.com/usa/480806-abby-martin-georgia-bds/
https://www.sott.net/article/429019-Journalist-Abby-Martin-sues-state-of-Georgia-over-law-requiring-pledge-of-allegiance-to-Israel

The Jerusalem Post on "Illinois becomes first state to list companies banned for 
business due to BDS"
https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Illinois-becomes-first-state-to-list-companies-banned-for-business-due-to-BDS-448601

Democracy Now on "?Our Very Existence Is the Resistance?: An Hour w/ AOC, Ayanna 
Pressley, Rashida Tlaib & Ilhan Omar"
https://www.democracynow.org/2020/2/10/democracy_now_the_squad_sotu



Jimmy Dore on Tucker Carlson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyub6M8Qfqs

Jimmy Dore & co. on "Wall St. Pete!" and boos for Buttigieg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gowkCRFV5e8

So far there are no relevant hits for this event (or booing and "Wall St. Pete!") on 
Democracy Now
https://www.democracynow.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=wall+st+pete&commit=Search
https://www.democracynow.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=wall+street+pete&commit=Search

Facebook is in cahoots with CNN and Buttigieg campaign: Jimmy Dore's Facebook post 
showing how the DNC was flipping votes to favor Buttigieg and he received a warning 
from Facebook
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfQ7Zo6m9yg

Benjamin Studebaker & Aimee Terese's show "What's Left?"
https://soundcloud.com/whatisleftpod/ -- list of recent episodes
https://twitter.com/whatisleftpod -- Twitter account
https://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:595199712/sounds.rss -- RSS feed

Daniel Denvir's "The Dig" show from Jacobin magazine
https://www.thedigradio.com/
RSS feed: https://www.thedigradio.com/feed/podcast/

"What's Left?" episode on "Open Borders"
https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/607333614-whatisleftpod-open-borders.mp3




Pete Buttigieg on Drugs
https://www.ontheissues.org/2020/Pete_Buttigieg_Drugs.htm
https://newsthud.com/buttigieg-pledges-to-decriminalize-heroin-and-meth-possession-if-elected-president/

Washington Post on cryptography company, Crypto AG
http://archive.ph/pk2nu
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/national-security/cia-crypto-encryption-machines-espionage/




Notes from J.B. Nicholson, Man of Mystery
https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/2020-February/051903.html
https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace/2020-February/015713.html

-J

From susanroseparenti at gmail.com  Mon Feb 17 00:07:55 2020
From: susanroseparenti at gmail.com (Susan Parenti)
Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2020 18:07:55 -0600
Subject: [Peace] this Friday,
 12 noon at YMCA Forum: Susan P on 90 day climate change vigil
Message-ID: <CAKfUjSGd8MP-bZn=H_42y=1cUBfcoVUn8EqbKPHw60cTmcJs4Q@mail.gmail.com>

Hi friends---At the YMCA Friday Forum, I'm going to be presenting the
challenge of the Re-Writing/Re-Righting Cassandra project. 20 of us met
everyday for 90 days, to focus on preventing the damage of catastrophic
climate change (Sept, 16--December 6, 2019)

*STOP THAT: I?ve stopped everything I?m doing, to focus on limiting the
damage of catastrophic climate change. And I want you to do that, too....*

   -  *Friday* | February 21, 2020
   -  12:00 pm
   -  University YMCA, Latzer Hall



-- 
*Susan Parenti*
*Educational Coordinator *

*The School for Designing a Society *www.designingasociety.net

*Like us on Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/designasociety>!*
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 17 16:57:44 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen)
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:57:44 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Fwd: [unac] UNAC conference and more
References: <5e49d956.1c69fb81.b5080.7fbe@mx.google.com>
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB28758300C96F1D9FD79A2B57A3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>


> 
>  
> 
> Click here to read this email in your browser <http://nepajac.org/unac_021420.html>
> 
> The UNAC conference is less than one week away
> 
> "Rise Against Militarism, Racism and the Climate Crisis - Building Power Together"
> February 21, 22, 23, People's Forum in New York City
>  320 W. 37th St. (Between 8th & 9th Avenues), New York City
> 
> Click here to register now <https://www.unacconference2020.org/registration/>
> 
> Click here for the conference web site <https://www.unacconference2020.org/>
> 
> If you have questions, send to UNACpeace at gmail.com <mailto:UNACpeace at gmail.com>
> 
> 
> Leading activists from across the country will be at the conference.  There will be panels, workshops, presentations and discussions on a number of topics relating to the wars abroad and at home, and related issues such as the climate change crisis, racism, and the migration crises with plenty of discussion as well as music and more.  Meet people, exchange ideas and build our movement.  Join us!
>  
> Victory in a DC court.  The prosecution of the 4 Venezuelan Embassy Protectors ends in a hung jury.
> 
> 
> Our movement won an important victory on February 14, when a 12-person jury was deadlocked and a mistrial had to be declared in the case of the 4 Venezuelan Embassy Protectors in Washington, DC.  The embassy protectors ? Adrienne Pine, Margaret Flowers, Kevin Zeese, and David Paul ? had been charged with ?interfering with the protective functions? of the US State Department after spending 37 days in the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, DC to keep it out of the  hands of the US-backed supporters of Venezuelan coup leader Juan Guaido.  
> The judge in the case refused to let the defense attorneys conduct a proper defense by narrowing their ability to even discuss why they were in the embassy including the international laws that supported them being there.  This simply left jurors confused and led to a hung jury.
> This may not be the end or the case, since the prosecution can decide on a retrial.  Each of these trials in themselves is a violation of the defendants? rights and amounts to harassment of the defendants and our movement.  While the prosecution has all the money and time they want to prosecute these cases, the defendants have had to raise tens of thousands of dollars for their defense.  However, the defense was able to use their fundraisers to not only speak about their unjust prosecution, but also to speak about Venezuela and the US attempts to overthrow the legitimate government of Nicolas Maduro.  So the stronger our defense, the better chance there is that the US government may decide to end the prosecution of the four Embassy Protectors rather than having their policies further exposed. 
> Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese, two of the Embassy Protectors, have been on the committee to organize the UNAC conference.  Please join them there on February 21 ? 23 where their cases and other defense cases such as those of Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning and  that of the Kings Bay 7 will be discussed. 
> Please go to the defense web site for information and to continue your support for this important case: https://defendembassyprotectors.org/ <https://defendembassyprotectors.org/>
> 
> Sanctions Kill
>  
> UNAC has joined with many other organizations to organize a coalition against U.S. sponsored Sanctions.  Sanctions are a form of economic warfare that the U.S. is using against 39 countries causing millions of deaths.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The coalition has called for action on the weekend of March 13 - 15
> Please endorse the call here: https://sanctionskill.org/? <https://sanctionskill.org/>
>  
> Read the UNAC Blog
> https://unac.notowar.net/ <https://unac.notowar.net/>
>  
> 
> 
> Please make a contribution to  UNAC:  https://www.unacpeace.org/donate.html <https://www.unacpeace.org/donate.html>
> If your organization would like to join the UNAC coalition, please click here:https://www.unacpeace.org/join.html <https://www.unacpeace.org/join.html>
> To unsubscribe from this list, please send an email to UNAC-unsubscribe at lists.riseup.net <mailto:UNAC-unsubscribe at lists.riseup.net>
> 
>  
> ---
> To unsubscribe: <mailto:unac-unsubscribe at lists.riseup.net <mailto:unac-unsubscribe at lists.riseup.net>>
> List help: <https://riseup.net/lists <https://riseup.net/lists>>

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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 17 16:59:12 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen)
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:59:12 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Fwd: Embassy Protectors Will Not Be Able to Tell Jury
 Guaido Is Not President, or Mention International Law
References: <5e49e11886416_10f13fa9ebf7f54c346175b6@ip-10-0-0-212.mail>
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB2875FAB3EA9C3E009490F945A3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>


> 
> 
> The Fight to Defend the Embassy Protectors Is Not Over Yet!
> 
> 
> By Ajamu Baraka and Bahman Azad
> Co-Chairs of Embassy Protectors Defense Committee
> 
> Even with the Embassy Protectors forced to defend themselves with one hand tied behind their backs by the judge, the state?s case against them was too weak to win a conviction of the Protectors last week in Federal court.
> 
> After deliberating more hours than the actual trial itself, the jury was hopelessly deadlocked and communicated to the judge that more time was not going to result in a unanimous decision. After instructing the jury to continue deliberating, the judge finally acknowledged the obvious and declared a mistrial, and instructed the defense and prosecution to return to court February 28th.
> 
> While the mistrial represents a temporary victory for the defense, it is imperative for the public and our supporters to understand that the state has not given up on this case. The Protectors are looking at the real possibility of having to fight for their freedom all over again.
> 
> That is why we are coming back to you. We cannot let up with our fundraising efforts. In fact, we must intensify our efforts. The state must see that the Protectors have the resources to mount a defense, even within the narrow legal constraints imposed on them by the judge.
> 
> Having raised over $70,000 and expended most of that on legal fees so far, we must raise another $30,000 by the date of the next hearing February 28th in case the state decides to put them on trial one more time.
> 
> So, we come to you once again. Please click here <https://u1584542.ct.sendgrid.net/mps2/c/FQE/ni0YAA/t.2zc/mP7U0LVdShK9xzDBTAjoLQ/h0/3z-2BdJ-2FEbVgNgdRPNiE4RB6A1IF-2B2wZAKxerfuDvrLZKVq5hJCpBTaFoJVNuHuiSYioAOUFtJr9KUq0QfIyUx5vbLu7fzKqyoHSgG40MITy1B0OTQ55mHLzppZ2zUjnxmni5zbK8aNpxuQ4vtzBZWUzbreo1Hc2hJHMIX0jPH-2BZ46fTZJ1Bm4O8NKlKe3gif2ljYZCa6iAt9BvJ9i-2FTRYvw7pgAE1ap1mlA-2FHdzeo-2BVksEDjOCUT9IYe8AWPSxrwPfgXgBhTbjCkgrMf9IV2pyZiPqwpLkKSdYSUtvnTPWUHnIyLxfV-2FqghF-2Fc9eLJoaq4-2BDpLK0bTXydcJ-2F1zbDpe6n1IXbEK5yAw-2Fl1fkIyiFuqhbksRVqM2kG4-2BKvqUyvvLzcpDX6KpqE3kkXY1sI6uGg-2BXLqEbJHRkpogUy1h5k-2BUkYP1um4uootlRhEBZdcTvu8BNkhQ1wP9RbcselOozw-3D-3D/-vL1> and give generously. But also, pass on this appeal and ask your friends, relatives, comrades, everyone who believes that it is important to resist the illegality of the Trump Administration?s efforts in this case.
> 
> We can meet this goal. And judging from the results of the first trial, if the Protectors have the resources to defend themselves, they just might be able to beat back this unfair and unjust attempt to squish dissent.
> 
> Help us. <https://u1584542.ct.sendgrid.net/mps2/c/FQE/ni0YAA/t.2zc/mP7U0LVdShK9xzDBTAjoLQ/h1/3z-2BdJ-2FEbVgNgdRPNiE4RB6A1IF-2B2wZAKxerfuDvrLZKVq5hJCpBTaFoJVNuHuiSYmikSY8lBcncO-2FbF0T7C-2FBxPmX31UmQ1nF9ZMwTkApsLWOIKJAmgLsKCywuu1-2BHLtirQ21nqbASgJBAZc2rGVRl4qq6KhxIPWf9eYeR1OAZwtC4Mf8AUkuspcxdoDGiZQAyAG3ke7YOlfrQHcFZMJ8oRqiMXQGxSDC6YLMLw4PT6ii6fS6AQqbkLNW9Q-2BI1JFPGF-2Bf-2FBkWW2VRKevkw2vEh5iI93TMSibe7as9dR2gUqDXgOUO8qsc5-2FYt0hii31bo4Dh3rgw-2BIKikSYuYvrrY3aBs2xytlEk1E1nv9TVJSYDyKhpgHqcwITzC8xsiVIps11wGZmY0ICX5MoaUmFZuMRoLg4fI4nvCpghvYZDHV3CAw3fuirpIFIsKEdEBzI8ECcJUqGL5pjA2bDVSZnGZQ-3D-3D/YxSu>
> We want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your generous and active support. For all of you who have given, we say thank you and forgive us for having to ask again. And for those who might not have given yet, we say now is the time. If this righteous fight is not worthy of your support, what is?
> 
> We can win. But it will take all of us to stand with the Protectors ? help them and us to make history!
> 
> 
> Embassy Protectors Defense Committee
> 
> Email: admin at DefendEmbassyProtectors.org <mailto:admin at DefendEmbassyProtectors.org> 
> Web Site: DefendEmbassyProtectors.org <x-msg://111/DefendEmbassyProtectors.org?link_id=3&can_id=5d69d5578308ee48a0a8812c82922789&source=email-embassy-protectors-will-not-be-able-to-tell-jury-guaido-is-not-president-or-mention-international-law&email_referrer=email_726354&email_subject=embassy-protectors-will-not-be-able-to-tell-jury-guaido-is-not-president-or-mention-international-law>
>  <https://u1584542.ct.sendgrid.net/mps2/c/FQE/ni0YAA/t.2zc/mP7U0LVdShK9xzDBTAjoLQ/h2/yMZ0EAGPHhzYUwcJSXQTJG0BP-2F41U8I2-2BbXpMKF4ETqOYCG2dlg6Xq6vnRijzqKNGydhPXJ0lwrvOViNVL86rfXOugqwSe-2F8ckNp4Gy9oGA1A6PgQXqv7Pkpp-2BsykZTeGl07ToP0Srz1UerIWpXH4fF4VlFwJ8CaznTHQdRBbU50tRnbzdd2WcNmrhEWag7lEaDvCcrPEnmBaZvKyDjlH-2BOh-2BlXvIFiWd0iqw6x9sgX-2B8CEh1q4-2BLRMSIvYS7ByBqaTbAGUlhOosVoMpZnKmDqHfXKoEdadZwA-2FVoOBk9mNw7bybpjswoviBXEkoFP1LV1tgTwMXpgSYvFffWW-2F-2FIUeo7LzMu7argRUjWTqjF8eKhMn0ot99JjPO0z4lMdU5pzI0LSMQBsaTjGbzziIOGQpmUizMAKSESrt9EVmPtSSTDqZ3Jwf5DcOc251A2ZPNQKpgtjiMbcyBuB-2FkEXxC6A-3D-3D/qH4n>
>  <https://u1584542.ct.sendgrid.net/mps2/c/FQE/ni0YAA/t.2zc/mP7U0LVdShK9xzDBTAjoLQ/h3/CA0gLXQEKb6jqGkD7RqZiSVQT3a4rc72JqxXIEz06-2Bw-3D/1P_e>	
> Sent via Action Network, a free online toolset anyone can use to organize. Click here to sign up <https://u1584542.ct.sendgrid.net/mps2/c/FQE/ni0YAA/t.2zc/mP7U0LVdShK9xzDBTAjoLQ/h4/CA0gLXQEKb6jqGkD7RqZiZL-2FtMGn6fgFuAHnlxuzX4FqI5QYgzvFPT4iGNaeE5Xm/4mW6> and get started building an email list and creating online actions today.
> Action Network is an open platform that empowers individuals and groups to organize for progressive causes. We encourage responsible activism, and do not support using the platform to take unlawful or other improper action. We do not control or endorse the conduct of users and make no representations of any kind about them.
> You can unsubscribe or update your email address or change your name and address by changing your subscription preferences here <https://u1584542.ct.sendgrid.net/mps2/c/FQE/ni0YAA/t.2zc/mP7U0LVdShK9xzDBTAjoLQ/h5/CA0gLXQEKb6jqGkD7RqZib6U1j4NzzRN1XZbVIcI-2BVH36sKP-2Fu4oM8VjBs-2FAM85OZWFDuTzIiH66lWqzrRtvdqX4qPGSlBCmpemP6pNZukJGFQzvaJBmh9optNSdTbH-2By3iiURhpcreH6CBVIpZehstZ-2Fa1IJ1kw6sGoIELGk4zVhBw8bjP1-2F3C3p8NF6q0zFfx6XQK-2FJSr-2Bn-2F7XXkdNcrN3Gp5T2LgvkmGasFx39bG9XnsiqBfLvTq0048dzN6-2FTJSN5O0y8sip1yvq9kUWrg-3D-3D/8Go6>.
> 
> 

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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 17 18:11:28 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2020 10:11:28 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Max Blumenthal on the imperial NGO's that ignore Julian
 Assange
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB287589EA2C20C773F00708A0A3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

A must listen to Max Blumenthal as he uncloaks the USG billionaires as they buy up media, including some of the best on the left??..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT1-tbJ9Mak <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT1-tbJ9Mak>
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 17 19:18:59 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen)
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2020 11:18:59 -0800
Subject: [Peace] News From Neptune #451 notes
In-Reply-To: <790e735a-926c-cb6c-7e99-2bb7172a52a7@forestfield.org>
References: <790e735a-926c-cb6c-7e99-2bb7172a52a7@forestfield.org>
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB28758B460D45F1D3DC7D27B6A3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

Good show, touched on some important issues.

My comments: 

Jimmy Dore is not the only one exposing Pete Bugigieg, etc. Lee Camp another comedian focused on politics has done the same. I mention this because I rarely see the JD show, not finding it funny or entertaining and Jimmy when I have seen him comes off as a mainstream Democrat. Lee is not, he is a real leftest not supporting either of the one Party system.

Open borders, I?m told is anarchist in origin, but as you both point out, while its to be supported, it doesn?t solve the problems in that it just touches the surface, transferring the problems of inequality, placing a greater burden on many communities that aren?t able to provide for the many already present, hence the rise in racism we see across Europe.

You?re both on target related to infrastructure programs of jobs, but not merely to make profit for the private sector but it should be coming from government to improve the lives of the people, as elsewhere in the world where socialist policies with a planned economy take place. That might of course require defunding militarism, in order to free up funding.

Just my humble opinion.

 


> On Feb 15, 2020, at 18:27, J.B. Nicholson via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
> 
> News From Neptune #451
> Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EPfBzOAwcw
> A "Trump is Not the Problem" edition
> 
> A list of links to items referenced on the show.
> 
> Caitlin Johnstone on "The Belief That Everything Will Be Fine Once Trump?s Gone Is More Dangerous Than Trump"
> https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2020/02/13/the-belief-that-everything-will-be-fine-once-trumps-gone-is-more-dangerous-than-trump/
> 
> Matthew Lee and Kathy Gannon on "Official says US, Taliban reach Afghanistan truce agreement"
> https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/pompeo-esper-meet-afghan-president-153606581.html
> https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/national/u-s-taliban-reach-truce-agreement-that-could-lead-to-withdrawals-of-american-troops-official-says
> https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/pompeo-esper-meet-afghan-president-on-cusp-of-taliban-deal/2020/02/14/2e4f0174-4f40-11ea-967b-e074d302c7d4_story.html
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Jimmy Dore show on Chris Matthews fearing execution under a Bernie Sanders administration
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59xWVNIk7cg
> 
> StPetePolls.org poll conducted for FloridaPolitics.com claiming Michael Bloomberg is taking the lead in Florida
> http://stpetepolls.org/files/StPetePolls_2020_State_DEMprimaryFebruary13_YBN5.pdf
> https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-02-14/poll-finds-michael-bloomberg-leads-among-democrats-in-florida
> 
> Independence (probability theory)
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_(probability_theory)
> Simple English: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_(statistics)
> 
> Steven Salaita on "How Bernie Sanders Became a Fighter for Palestine"
> https://stevesalaita.com/how-bernie-sanders-became-a-fighter-for-palestine/
> https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/02/13/how-bernie-sanders-became-a-fighter-for-palestine/
> 
> Norman Finkelstein on "The Two-State Solution is Dead"
> https://imemc.org/article/norman-finkelstein-the-two-state-solution-is-dead/
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx5k3E47AoQ -- related on Finkelstein critiquing BDS and Two-State Solution
> 
> Abby Martin sues State of Georgia over law requiring anti-BDS pledge
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEMGvl0TfH0
> 
> Related coverage:
> https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Antisemitism/Documentary-filmmaker-files-federal-lawsuit-against-Georgias-antiBDS-law-617329
> https://www.greanvillepost.com/2020/02/11/journalist-abby-martin-sues-state-of-georgia-over-law-requiring-pledge-of-allegiance-to-israel/
> https://www.rt.com/usa/480806-abby-martin-georgia-bds/
> https://www.sott.net/article/429019-Journalist-Abby-Martin-sues-state-of-Georgia-over-law-requiring-pledge-of-allegiance-to-Israel
> 
> The Jerusalem Post on "Illinois becomes first state to list companies banned for business due to BDS"
> https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Illinois-becomes-first-state-to-list-companies-banned-for-business-due-to-BDS-448601
> 
> Democracy Now on "?Our Very Existence Is the Resistance?: An Hour w/ AOC, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib & Ilhan Omar"
> https://www.democracynow.org/2020/2/10/democracy_now_the_squad_sotu
> 
> 
> 
> Jimmy Dore on Tucker Carlson
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyub6M8Qfqs
> 
> Jimmy Dore & co. on "Wall St. Pete!" and boos for Buttigieg
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gowkCRFV5e8
> 
> So far there are no relevant hits for this event (or booing and "Wall St. Pete!") on Democracy Now
> https://www.democracynow.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=wall+st+pete&commit=Search
> https://www.democracynow.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=wall+street+pete&commit=Search
> 
> Facebook is in cahoots with CNN and Buttigieg campaign: Jimmy Dore's Facebook post showing how the DNC was flipping votes to favor Buttigieg and he received a warning from Facebook
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfQ7Zo6m9yg
> 
> Benjamin Studebaker & Aimee Terese's show "What's Left?"
> https://soundcloud.com/whatisleftpod/ -- list of recent episodes
> https://twitter.com/whatisleftpod -- Twitter account
> https://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:595199712/sounds.rss -- RSS feed
> 
> Daniel Denvir's "The Dig" show from Jacobin magazine
> https://www.thedigradio.com/
> RSS feed: https://www.thedigradio.com/feed/podcast/
> 
> "What's Left?" episode on "Open Borders"
> https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/607333614-whatisleftpod-open-borders.mp3
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pete Buttigieg on Drugs
> https://www.ontheissues.org/2020/Pete_Buttigieg_Drugs.htm
> https://newsthud.com/buttigieg-pledges-to-decriminalize-heroin-and-meth-possession-if-elected-president/
> 
> Washington Post on cryptography company, Crypto AG
> http://archive.ph/pk2nu
> https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/national-security/cia-crypto-encryption-machines-espionage/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Notes from J.B. Nicholson, Man of Mystery
> https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/2020-February/051903.html
> https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace/2020-February/015713.html
> 
> -J
> _______________________________________________
> Peace mailing list
> Peace at lists.chambana.net
> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace


From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 17 19:51:03 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen)
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2020 11:51:03 -0800
Subject: [Peace] News From Neptune #451 notes
In-Reply-To: <DM6PR13MB28758B460D45F1D3DC7D27B6A3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
References: <790e735a-926c-cb6c-7e99-2bb7172a52a7@forestfield.org>
 <DM6PR13MB28758B460D45F1D3DC7D27B6A3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB287531FC46F8C9FDFB48CC00A3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

One more comment after finishing the last few minutes of the program:  Good job David countering Carl?s assertion that Trump is simply put, not a bad guy, though true he is giving the establishment a hard time, and he would like to bring the troops home, or at least provides that impression. Either way, a good guy especially when it comes to domestic issues, Bolivia, Venezuela and Iran, Trump is not. 


> On Feb 17, 2020, at 11:18, Karen via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
> 
> Good show, touched on some important issues.
> 
> My comments: 
> 
> Jimmy Dore is not the only one exposing Pete Bugigieg, etc. Lee Camp another comedian focused on politics has done the same. I mention this because I rarely see the JD show, not finding it funny or entertaining and Jimmy when I have seen him comes off as a mainstream Democrat. Lee is not, he is a real leftest not supporting either of the one Party system.
> 
> Open borders, I?m told is anarchist in origin, but as you both point out, while its to be supported, it doesn?t solve the problems in that it just touches the surface, transferring the problems of inequality, placing a greater burden on many communities that aren?t able to provide for the many already present, hence the rise in racism we see across Europe.
> 
> You?re both on target related to infrastructure programs of jobs, but not merely to make profit for the private sector but it should be coming from government to improve the lives of the people, as elsewhere in the world where socialist policies with a planned economy take place. That might of course require defunding militarism, in order to free up funding.
> 
> Just my humble opinion.
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> On Feb 15, 2020, at 18:27, J.B. Nicholson via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
>> 
>> News From Neptune #451
>> Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EPfBzOAwcw
>> A "Trump is Not the Problem" edition
>> 
>> A list of links to items referenced on the show.
>> 
>> Caitlin Johnstone on "The Belief That Everything Will Be Fine Once Trump?s Gone Is More Dangerous Than Trump"
>> https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2020/02/13/the-belief-that-everything-will-be-fine-once-trumps-gone-is-more-dangerous-than-trump/
>> 
>> Matthew Lee and Kathy Gannon on "Official says US, Taliban reach Afghanistan truce agreement"
>> https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/pompeo-esper-meet-afghan-president-153606581.html
>> https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/national/u-s-taliban-reach-truce-agreement-that-could-lead-to-withdrawals-of-american-troops-official-says
>> https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/pompeo-esper-meet-afghan-president-on-cusp-of-taliban-deal/2020/02/14/2e4f0174-4f40-11ea-967b-e074d302c7d4_story.html
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Jimmy Dore show on Chris Matthews fearing execution under a Bernie Sanders administration
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59xWVNIk7cg
>> 
>> StPetePolls.org poll conducted for FloridaPolitics.com claiming Michael Bloomberg is taking the lead in Florida
>> http://stpetepolls.org/files/StPetePolls_2020_State_DEMprimaryFebruary13_YBN5.pdf
>> https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-02-14/poll-finds-michael-bloomberg-leads-among-democrats-in-florida
>> 
>> Independence (probability theory)
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_(probability_theory)
>> Simple English: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_(statistics)
>> 
>> Steven Salaita on "How Bernie Sanders Became a Fighter for Palestine"
>> https://stevesalaita.com/how-bernie-sanders-became-a-fighter-for-palestine/
>> https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/02/13/how-bernie-sanders-became-a-fighter-for-palestine/
>> 
>> Norman Finkelstein on "The Two-State Solution is Dead"
>> https://imemc.org/article/norman-finkelstein-the-two-state-solution-is-dead/
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx5k3E47AoQ -- related on Finkelstein critiquing BDS and Two-State Solution
>> 
>> Abby Martin sues State of Georgia over law requiring anti-BDS pledge
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEMGvl0TfH0
>> 
>> Related coverage:
>> https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Antisemitism/Documentary-filmmaker-files-federal-lawsuit-against-Georgias-antiBDS-law-617329
>> https://www.greanvillepost.com/2020/02/11/journalist-abby-martin-sues-state-of-georgia-over-law-requiring-pledge-of-allegiance-to-israel/
>> https://www.rt.com/usa/480806-abby-martin-georgia-bds/
>> https://www.sott.net/article/429019-Journalist-Abby-Martin-sues-state-of-Georgia-over-law-requiring-pledge-of-allegiance-to-Israel
>> 
>> The Jerusalem Post on "Illinois becomes first state to list companies banned for business due to BDS"
>> https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Illinois-becomes-first-state-to-list-companies-banned-for-business-due-to-BDS-448601
>> 
>> Democracy Now on "?Our Very Existence Is the Resistance?: An Hour w/ AOC, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib & Ilhan Omar"
>> https://www.democracynow.org/2020/2/10/democracy_now_the_squad_sotu
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Jimmy Dore on Tucker Carlson
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyub6M8Qfqs
>> 
>> Jimmy Dore & co. on "Wall St. Pete!" and boos for Buttigieg
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gowkCRFV5e8
>> 
>> So far there are no relevant hits for this event (or booing and "Wall St. Pete!") on Democracy Now
>> https://www.democracynow.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=wall+st+pete&commit=Search
>> https://www.democracynow.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=wall+street+pete&commit=Search
>> 
>> Facebook is in cahoots with CNN and Buttigieg campaign: Jimmy Dore's Facebook post showing how the DNC was flipping votes to favor Buttigieg and he received a warning from Facebook
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfQ7Zo6m9yg
>> 
>> Benjamin Studebaker & Aimee Terese's show "What's Left?"
>> https://soundcloud.com/whatisleftpod/ -- list of recent episodes
>> https://twitter.com/whatisleftpod -- Twitter account
>> https://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:595199712/sounds.rss -- RSS feed
>> 
>> Daniel Denvir's "The Dig" show from Jacobin magazine
>> https://www.thedigradio.com/
>> RSS feed: https://www.thedigradio.com/feed/podcast/
>> 
>> "What's Left?" episode on "Open Borders"
>> https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/607333614-whatisleftpod-open-borders.mp3
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Pete Buttigieg on Drugs
>> https://www.ontheissues.org/2020/Pete_Buttigieg_Drugs.htm
>> https://newsthud.com/buttigieg-pledges-to-decriminalize-heroin-and-meth-possession-if-elected-president/
>> 
>> Washington Post on cryptography company, Crypto AG
>> http://archive.ph/pk2nu
>> https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/national-security/cia-crypto-encryption-machines-espionage/
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Notes from J.B. Nicholson, Man of Mystery
>> https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/2020-February/051903.html
>> https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace/2020-February/015713.html
>> 
>> -J
>> _______________________________________________
>> Peace mailing list
>> Peace at lists.chambana.net
>> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Peace mailing list
> Peace at lists.chambana.net
> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace


From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 17 21:19:18 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2020 13:19:18 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Howie Hawkins of the Green Party running as a Peace &
 Freedom candidate, he makes some very good points.
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB2875B590A3886E25CF3CF7A4A3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

https://howiehawkins.us/you-didnt-join-the-peace-and-freedom-party-to-support-democrats/?fbclid=IwAR0rH5OuXFiLFbPGs8QFschaC6-4QpEtMUCUDtr8 <https://howiehawkins.us/you-didnt-join-the-peace-and-freedom-party-to-support-democrats/?fbclid=IwAR0rH5OuXFiLFbPGs8QFschaC6-4QpEtMUCUDtr8>
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 17 23:24:17 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2020 15:24:17 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Up for discussion on NFN next week?
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB2875E3C84C867E204994D10FA3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

https://liberationschool.org/dual-power-and-revolution/?fbclid=IwAR1cpC4s3eXd3mu0jOh2DX5niRM7IoOHdRyQuPc-rZeYoRQ2Q75E1BRK1MM <https://liberationschool.org/dual-power-and-revolution/?fbclid=IwAR1cpC4s3eXd3mu0jOh2DX5niRM7IoOHdRyQuPc-rZeYoRQ2Q75E1BRK1MM>
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From carl at newsfromneptune.com  Wed Feb 19 01:43:49 2020
From: carl at newsfromneptune.com (C. G. Estabrook)
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2020 19:43:49 -0600
Subject: [Peace] [Peace-discuss]  News From Neptune #451 notes
In-Reply-To: <DM6PR13MB287531FC46F8C9FDFB48CC00A3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
References: <790e735a-926c-cb6c-7e99-2bb7172a52a7@forestfield.org>
 <DM6PR13MB28758B460D45F1D3DC7D27B6A3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
 <DM6PR13MB287531FC46F8C9FDFB48CC00A3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <9EFBA21B-2AE9-47BC-855C-1A13ADCF5F12@newsfromneptune.com>

Trump is, simply put, a bad guy.

But ?sancta simplicitas' doesn?t get us very far in understanding how to oppose US government crimes.



> On Feb 17, 2020, at 1:51 PM, Karen via Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
> 
> One more comment after finishing the last few minutes of the program:  Good job David countering Carl?s assertion that Trump is simply put, not a bad guy, though true he is giving the establishment a hard time, and he would like to bring the troops home, or at least provides that impression. Either way, a good guy especially when it comes to domestic issues, Bolivia, Venezuela and Iran, Trump is not. 
> 
> 
>> On Feb 17, 2020, at 11:18, Karen via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
>> 
>> Good show, touched on some important issues.
>> 
>> My comments: 
>> 
>> Jimmy Dore is not the only one exposing Pete Bugigieg, etc. Lee Camp another comedian focused on politics has done the same. I mention this because I rarely see the JD show, not finding it funny or entertaining and Jimmy when I have seen him comes off as a mainstream Democrat. Lee is not, he is a real leftest not supporting either of the one Party system.
>> 
>> Open borders, I?m told is anarchist in origin, but as you both point out, while its to be supported, it doesn?t solve the problems in that it just touches the surface, transferring the problems of inequality, placing a greater burden on many communities that aren?t able to provide for the many already present, hence the rise in racism we see across Europe.
>> 
>> You?re both on target related to infrastructure programs of jobs, but not merely to make profit for the private sector but it should be coming from government to improve the lives of the people, as elsewhere in the world where socialist policies with a planned economy take place. That might of course require defunding militarism, in order to free up funding.
>> 
>> Just my humble opinion.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> On Feb 15, 2020, at 18:27, J.B. Nicholson via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>> News From Neptune #451
>>> Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EPfBzOAwcw
>>> A "Trump is Not the Problem" edition
>>> 
>>> A list of links to items referenced on the show.
>>> 
>>> Caitlin Johnstone on "The Belief That Everything Will Be Fine Once Trump?s Gone Is More Dangerous Than Trump"
>>> https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2020/02/13/the-belief-that-everything-will-be-fine-once-trumps-gone-is-more-dangerous-than-trump/
>>> 
>>> Matthew Lee and Kathy Gannon on "Official says US, Taliban reach Afghanistan truce agreement"
>>> https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/pompeo-esper-meet-afghan-president-153606581.html
>>> https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/national/u-s-taliban-reach-truce-agreement-that-could-lead-to-withdrawals-of-american-troops-official-says
>>> https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/pompeo-esper-meet-afghan-president-on-cusp-of-taliban-deal/2020/02/14/2e4f0174-4f40-11ea-967b-e074d302c7d4_story.html
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Jimmy Dore show on Chris Matthews fearing execution under a Bernie Sanders administration
>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59xWVNIk7cg
>>> 
>>> StPetePolls.org poll conducted for FloridaPolitics.com claiming Michael Bloomberg is taking the lead in Florida
>>> http://stpetepolls.org/files/StPetePolls_2020_State_DEMprimaryFebruary13_YBN5.pdf
>>> https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-02-14/poll-finds-michael-bloomberg-leads-among-democrats-in-florida
>>> 
>>> Independence (probability theory)
>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_(probability_theory)
>>> Simple English: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_(statistics)
>>> 
>>> Steven Salaita on "How Bernie Sanders Became a Fighter for Palestine"
>>> https://stevesalaita.com/how-bernie-sanders-became-a-fighter-for-palestine/
>>> https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/02/13/how-bernie-sanders-became-a-fighter-for-palestine/
>>> 
>>> Norman Finkelstein on "The Two-State Solution is Dead"
>>> https://imemc.org/article/norman-finkelstein-the-two-state-solution-is-dead/
>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx5k3E47AoQ -- related on Finkelstein critiquing BDS and Two-State Solution
>>> 
>>> Abby Martin sues State of Georgia over law requiring anti-BDS pledge
>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEMGvl0TfH0
>>> 
>>> Related coverage:
>>> https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Antisemitism/Documentary-filmmaker-files-federal-lawsuit-against-Georgias-antiBDS-law-617329
>>> https://www.greanvillepost.com/2020/02/11/journalist-abby-martin-sues-state-of-georgia-over-law-requiring-pledge-of-allegiance-to-israel/
>>> https://www.rt.com/usa/480806-abby-martin-georgia-bds/
>>> https://www.sott.net/article/429019-Journalist-Abby-Martin-sues-state-of-Georgia-over-law-requiring-pledge-of-allegiance-to-Israel
>>> 
>>> The Jerusalem Post on "Illinois becomes first state to list companies banned for business due to BDS"
>>> https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Illinois-becomes-first-state-to-list-companies-banned-for-business-due-to-BDS-448601
>>> 
>>> Democracy Now on "?Our Very Existence Is the Resistance?: An Hour w/ AOC, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib & Ilhan Omar"
>>> https://www.democracynow.org/2020/2/10/democracy_now_the_squad_sotu
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Jimmy Dore on Tucker Carlson
>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyub6M8Qfqs
>>> 
>>> Jimmy Dore & co. on "Wall St. Pete!" and boos for Buttigieg
>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gowkCRFV5e8
>>> 
>>> So far there are no relevant hits for this event (or booing and "Wall St. Pete!") on Democracy Now
>>> https://www.democracynow.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=wall+st+pete&commit=Search
>>> https://www.democracynow.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=wall+street+pete&commit=Search
>>> 
>>> Facebook is in cahoots with CNN and Buttigieg campaign: Jimmy Dore's Facebook post showing how the DNC was flipping votes to favor Buttigieg and he received a warning from Facebook
>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfQ7Zo6m9yg
>>> 
>>> Benjamin Studebaker & Aimee Terese's show "What's Left?"
>>> https://soundcloud.com/whatisleftpod/ -- list of recent episodes
>>> https://twitter.com/whatisleftpod -- Twitter account
>>> https://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:595199712/sounds.rss -- RSS feed
>>> 
>>> Daniel Denvir's "The Dig" show from Jacobin magazine
>>> https://www.thedigradio.com/
>>> RSS feed: https://www.thedigradio.com/feed/podcast/
>>> 
>>> "What's Left?" episode on "Open Borders"
>>> https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/607333614-whatisleftpod-open-borders.mp3
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Pete Buttigieg on Drugs
>>> https://www.ontheissues.org/2020/Pete_Buttigieg_Drugs.htm
>>> https://newsthud.com/buttigieg-pledges-to-decriminalize-heroin-and-meth-possession-if-elected-president/
>>> 
>>> Washington Post on cryptography company, Crypto AG
>>> http://archive.ph/pk2nu
>>> https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/national-security/cia-crypto-encryption-machines-espionage/
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Notes from J.B. Nicholson, Man of Mystery
>>> https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/2020-February/051903.html
>>> https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace/2020-February/015713.html
>>> 
>>> -J
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Peace mailing list
>>> Peace at lists.chambana.net
>>> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Peace mailing list
>> Peace at lists.chambana.net
>> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Peace-discuss mailing list
> Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace-discuss


From karenaram at hotmail.com  Wed Feb 19 02:12:06 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen)
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2020 18:12:06 -0800
Subject: [Peace] [Peace-discuss]  News From Neptune #451 notes
In-Reply-To: <9EFBA21B-2AE9-47BC-855C-1A13ADCF5F12@newsfromneptune.com>
References: <790e735a-926c-cb6c-7e99-2bb7172a52a7@forestfield.org>
 <DM6PR13MB28758B460D45F1D3DC7D27B6A3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
 <DM6PR13MB287531FC46F8C9FDFB48CC00A3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
 <9EFBA21B-2AE9-47BC-855C-1A13ADCF5F12@newsfromneptune.com>
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB2875D1372E463825A7227D1EA3100@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

I quite agree, which is why I think focusing on, who, why, and what is behind what a President does rather than on the President.


> On Feb 18, 2020, at 17:43, C. G. Estabrook <carl at newsfromneptune.com> wrote:
> 
> Trump is, simply put, a bad guy.
> 
> But ?sancta simplicitas' doesn?t get us very far in understanding how to oppose US government crimes.
> 
> 
> 
>> On Feb 17, 2020, at 1:51 PM, Karen via Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
>> 
>> One more comment after finishing the last few minutes of the program:  Good job David countering Carl?s assertion that Trump is simply put, not a bad guy, though true he is giving the establishment a hard time, and he would like to bring the troops home, or at least provides that impression. Either way, a good guy especially when it comes to domestic issues, Bolivia, Venezuela and Iran, Trump is not. 
>> 
>> 
>>> On Feb 17, 2020, at 11:18, Karen via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Good show, touched on some important issues.
>>> 
>>> My comments: 
>>> 
>>> Jimmy Dore is not the only one exposing Pete Bugigieg, etc. Lee Camp another comedian focused on politics has done the same. I mention this because I rarely see the JD show, not finding it funny or entertaining and Jimmy when I have seen him comes off as a mainstream Democrat. Lee is not, he is a real leftest not supporting either of the one Party system.
>>> 
>>> Open borders, I?m told is anarchist in origin, but as you both point out, while its to be supported, it doesn?t solve the problems in that it just touches the surface, transferring the problems of inequality, placing a greater burden on many communities that aren?t able to provide for the many already present, hence the rise in racism we see across Europe.
>>> 
>>> You?re both on target related to infrastructure programs of jobs, but not merely to make profit for the private sector but it should be coming from government to improve the lives of the people, as elsewhere in the world where socialist policies with a planned economy take place. That might of course require defunding militarism, in order to free up funding.
>>> 
>>> Just my humble opinion.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On Feb 15, 2020, at 18:27, J.B. Nicholson via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> News From Neptune #451
>>>> Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EPfBzOAwcw
>>>> A "Trump is Not the Problem" edition
>>>> 
>>>> A list of links to items referenced on the show.
>>>> 
>>>> Caitlin Johnstone on "The Belief That Everything Will Be Fine Once Trump?s Gone Is More Dangerous Than Trump"
>>>> https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2020/02/13/the-belief-that-everything-will-be-fine-once-trumps-gone-is-more-dangerous-than-trump/
>>>> 
>>>> Matthew Lee and Kathy Gannon on "Official says US, Taliban reach Afghanistan truce agreement"
>>>> https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/pompeo-esper-meet-afghan-president-153606581.html
>>>> https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/national/u-s-taliban-reach-truce-agreement-that-could-lead-to-withdrawals-of-american-troops-official-says
>>>> https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/pompeo-esper-meet-afghan-president-on-cusp-of-taliban-deal/2020/02/14/2e4f0174-4f40-11ea-967b-e074d302c7d4_story.html
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Jimmy Dore show on Chris Matthews fearing execution under a Bernie Sanders administration
>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59xWVNIk7cg
>>>> 
>>>> StPetePolls.org poll conducted for FloridaPolitics.com claiming Michael Bloomberg is taking the lead in Florida
>>>> http://stpetepolls.org/files/StPetePolls_2020_State_DEMprimaryFebruary13_YBN5.pdf
>>>> https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-02-14/poll-finds-michael-bloomberg-leads-among-democrats-in-florida
>>>> 
>>>> Independence (probability theory)
>>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_(probability_theory)
>>>> Simple English: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_(statistics)
>>>> 
>>>> Steven Salaita on "How Bernie Sanders Became a Fighter for Palestine"
>>>> https://stevesalaita.com/how-bernie-sanders-became-a-fighter-for-palestine/
>>>> https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/02/13/how-bernie-sanders-became-a-fighter-for-palestine/
>>>> 
>>>> Norman Finkelstein on "The Two-State Solution is Dead"
>>>> https://imemc.org/article/norman-finkelstein-the-two-state-solution-is-dead/
>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx5k3E47AoQ -- related on Finkelstein critiquing BDS and Two-State Solution
>>>> 
>>>> Abby Martin sues State of Georgia over law requiring anti-BDS pledge
>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEMGvl0TfH0
>>>> 
>>>> Related coverage:
>>>> https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Antisemitism/Documentary-filmmaker-files-federal-lawsuit-against-Georgias-antiBDS-law-617329
>>>> https://www.greanvillepost.com/2020/02/11/journalist-abby-martin-sues-state-of-georgia-over-law-requiring-pledge-of-allegiance-to-israel/
>>>> https://www.rt.com/usa/480806-abby-martin-georgia-bds/
>>>> https://www.sott.net/article/429019-Journalist-Abby-Martin-sues-state-of-Georgia-over-law-requiring-pledge-of-allegiance-to-Israel
>>>> 
>>>> The Jerusalem Post on "Illinois becomes first state to list companies banned for business due to BDS"
>>>> https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Illinois-becomes-first-state-to-list-companies-banned-for-business-due-to-BDS-448601
>>>> 
>>>> Democracy Now on "?Our Very Existence Is the Resistance?: An Hour w/ AOC, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib & Ilhan Omar"
>>>> https://www.democracynow.org/2020/2/10/democracy_now_the_squad_sotu
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Jimmy Dore on Tucker Carlson
>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyub6M8Qfqs
>>>> 
>>>> Jimmy Dore & co. on "Wall St. Pete!" and boos for Buttigieg
>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gowkCRFV5e8
>>>> 
>>>> So far there are no relevant hits for this event (or booing and "Wall St. Pete!") on Democracy Now
>>>> https://www.democracynow.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=wall+st+pete&commit=Search
>>>> https://www.democracynow.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=wall+street+pete&commit=Search
>>>> 
>>>> Facebook is in cahoots with CNN and Buttigieg campaign: Jimmy Dore's Facebook post showing how the DNC was flipping votes to favor Buttigieg and he received a warning from Facebook
>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfQ7Zo6m9yg
>>>> 
>>>> Benjamin Studebaker & Aimee Terese's show "What's Left?"
>>>> https://soundcloud.com/whatisleftpod/ -- list of recent episodes
>>>> https://twitter.com/whatisleftpod -- Twitter account
>>>> https://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:595199712/sounds.rss -- RSS feed
>>>> 
>>>> Daniel Denvir's "The Dig" show from Jacobin magazine
>>>> https://www.thedigradio.com/
>>>> RSS feed: https://www.thedigradio.com/feed/podcast/
>>>> 
>>>> "What's Left?" episode on "Open Borders"
>>>> https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/607333614-whatisleftpod-open-borders.mp3
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Pete Buttigieg on Drugs
>>>> https://www.ontheissues.org/2020/Pete_Buttigieg_Drugs.htm
>>>> https://newsthud.com/buttigieg-pledges-to-decriminalize-heroin-and-meth-possession-if-elected-president/
>>>> 
>>>> Washington Post on cryptography company, Crypto AG
>>>> http://archive.ph/pk2nu
>>>> https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/national-security/cia-crypto-encryption-machines-espionage/
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Notes from J.B. Nicholson, Man of Mystery
>>>> https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/2020-February/051903.html
>>>> https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace/2020-February/015713.html
>>>> 
>>>> -J
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Peace mailing list
>>>> Peace at lists.chambana.net
>>>> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Peace mailing list
>>> Peace at lists.chambana.net
>>> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Peace-discuss mailing list
>> Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
>> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace-discuss
> 


From carl at newsfromneptune.com  Wed Feb 19 02:31:14 2020
From: carl at newsfromneptune.com (C. G. Estabrook)
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2020 20:31:14 -0600
Subject: [Peace] [Peace-discuss]  News From Neptune #451 notes
In-Reply-To: <DM6PR13MB2875D1372E463825A7227D1EA3100@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
References: <790e735a-926c-cb6c-7e99-2bb7172a52a7@forestfield.org>
 <DM6PR13MB28758B460D45F1D3DC7D27B6A3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
 <DM6PR13MB287531FC46F8C9FDFB48CC00A3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
 <9EFBA21B-2AE9-47BC-855C-1A13ADCF5F12@newsfromneptune.com>
 <DM6PR13MB2875D1372E463825A7227D1EA3100@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <0198EC55-389C-4C73-8889-2401A15D2BCC@newsfromneptune.com>

Then why don?t we spend more time on, e.g., why the US government engineered a coup in Ukraine and then murderous attacks by the government we installed on their citizens?

Instead, we?re told to remove Trump and install a president who will do that more vigorously. That?s the liberal position.


> On Feb 18, 2020, at 8:12 PM, Karen <karenaram at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I quite agree, which is why I think focusing on, who, why, and what is behind what a President does rather than on the President.
> 
> 
>> On Feb 18, 2020, at 17:43, C. G. Estabrook <carl at newsfromneptune.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Trump is, simply put, a bad guy.
>> 
>> But ?sancta simplicitas' doesn?t get us very far in understanding how to oppose US government crimes.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> On Feb 17, 2020, at 1:51 PM, Karen via Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>> One more comment after finishing the last few minutes of the program:  Good job David countering Carl?s assertion that Trump is simply put, not a bad guy, though true he is giving the establishment a hard time, and he would like to bring the troops home, or at least provides that impression. Either way, a good guy especially when it comes to domestic issues, Bolivia, Venezuela and Iran, Trump is not. 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On Feb 17, 2020, at 11:18, Karen via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Good show, touched on some important issues.
>>>> 
>>>> My comments: 
>>>> 
>>>> Jimmy Dore is not the only one exposing Pete Bugigieg, etc. Lee Camp another comedian focused on politics has done the same. I mention this because I rarely see the JD show, not finding it funny or entertaining and Jimmy when I have seen him comes off as a mainstream Democrat. Lee is not, he is a real leftest not supporting either of the one Party system.
>>>> 
>>>> Open borders, I?m told is anarchist in origin, but as you both point out, while its to be supported, it doesn?t solve the problems in that it just touches the surface, transferring the problems of inequality, placing a greater burden on many communities that aren?t able to provide for the many already present, hence the rise in racism we see across Europe.
>>>> 
>>>> You?re both on target related to infrastructure programs of jobs, but not merely to make profit for the private sector but it should be coming from government to improve the lives of the people, as elsewhere in the world where socialist policies with a planned economy take place. That might of course require defunding militarism, in order to free up funding.
>>>> 
>>>> Just my humble opinion.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> On Feb 15, 2020, at 18:27, J.B. Nicholson via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> News From Neptune #451
>>>>> Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EPfBzOAwcw
>>>>> A "Trump is Not the Problem" edition
>>>>> 
>>>>> A list of links to items referenced on the show.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Caitlin Johnstone on "The Belief That Everything Will Be Fine Once Trump?s Gone Is More Dangerous Than Trump"
>>>>> https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2020/02/13/the-belief-that-everything-will-be-fine-once-trumps-gone-is-more-dangerous-than-trump/
>>>>> 
>>>>> Matthew Lee and Kathy Gannon on "Official says US, Taliban reach Afghanistan truce agreement"
>>>>> https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/pompeo-esper-meet-afghan-president-153606581.html
>>>>> https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/national/u-s-taliban-reach-truce-agreement-that-could-lead-to-withdrawals-of-american-troops-official-says
>>>>> https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/pompeo-esper-meet-afghan-president-on-cusp-of-taliban-deal/2020/02/14/2e4f0174-4f40-11ea-967b-e074d302c7d4_story.html
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Jimmy Dore show on Chris Matthews fearing execution under a Bernie Sanders administration
>>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59xWVNIk7cg
>>>>> 
>>>>> StPetePolls.org poll conducted for FloridaPolitics.com claiming Michael Bloomberg is taking the lead in Florida
>>>>> http://stpetepolls.org/files/StPetePolls_2020_State_DEMprimaryFebruary13_YBN5.pdf
>>>>> https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-02-14/poll-finds-michael-bloomberg-leads-among-democrats-in-florida
>>>>> 
>>>>> Independence (probability theory)
>>>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_(probability_theory)
>>>>> Simple English: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_(statistics)
>>>>> 
>>>>> Steven Salaita on "How Bernie Sanders Became a Fighter for Palestine"
>>>>> https://stevesalaita.com/how-bernie-sanders-became-a-fighter-for-palestine/
>>>>> https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/02/13/how-bernie-sanders-became-a-fighter-for-palestine/
>>>>> 
>>>>> Norman Finkelstein on "The Two-State Solution is Dead"
>>>>> https://imemc.org/article/norman-finkelstein-the-two-state-solution-is-dead/
>>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx5k3E47AoQ -- related on Finkelstein critiquing BDS and Two-State Solution
>>>>> 
>>>>> Abby Martin sues State of Georgia over law requiring anti-BDS pledge
>>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEMGvl0TfH0
>>>>> 
>>>>> Related coverage:
>>>>> https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Antisemitism/Documentary-filmmaker-files-federal-lawsuit-against-Georgias-antiBDS-law-617329
>>>>> https://www.greanvillepost.com/2020/02/11/journalist-abby-martin-sues-state-of-georgia-over-law-requiring-pledge-of-allegiance-to-israel/
>>>>> https://www.rt.com/usa/480806-abby-martin-georgia-bds/
>>>>> https://www.sott.net/article/429019-Journalist-Abby-Martin-sues-state-of-Georgia-over-law-requiring-pledge-of-allegiance-to-Israel
>>>>> 
>>>>> The Jerusalem Post on "Illinois becomes first state to list companies banned for business due to BDS"
>>>>> https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Illinois-becomes-first-state-to-list-companies-banned-for-business-due-to-BDS-448601
>>>>> 
>>>>> Democracy Now on "?Our Very Existence Is the Resistance?: An Hour w/ AOC, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib & Ilhan Omar"
>>>>> https://www.democracynow.org/2020/2/10/democracy_now_the_squad_sotu
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Jimmy Dore on Tucker Carlson
>>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyub6M8Qfqs
>>>>> 
>>>>> Jimmy Dore & co. on "Wall St. Pete!" and boos for Buttigieg
>>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gowkCRFV5e8
>>>>> 
>>>>> So far there are no relevant hits for this event (or booing and "Wall St. Pete!") on Democracy Now
>>>>> https://www.democracynow.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=wall+st+pete&commit=Search
>>>>> https://www.democracynow.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=wall+street+pete&commit=Search
>>>>> 
>>>>> Facebook is in cahoots with CNN and Buttigieg campaign: Jimmy Dore's Facebook post showing how the DNC was flipping votes to favor Buttigieg and he received a warning from Facebook
>>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfQ7Zo6m9yg
>>>>> 
>>>>> Benjamin Studebaker & Aimee Terese's show "What's Left?"
>>>>> https://soundcloud.com/whatisleftpod/ -- list of recent episodes
>>>>> https://twitter.com/whatisleftpod -- Twitter account
>>>>> https://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:595199712/sounds.rss -- RSS feed
>>>>> 
>>>>> Daniel Denvir's "The Dig" show from Jacobin magazine
>>>>> https://www.thedigradio.com/
>>>>> RSS feed: https://www.thedigradio.com/feed/podcast/
>>>>> 
>>>>> "What's Left?" episode on "Open Borders"
>>>>> https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/607333614-whatisleftpod-open-borders.mp3
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Pete Buttigieg on Drugs
>>>>> https://www.ontheissues.org/2020/Pete_Buttigieg_Drugs.htm
>>>>> https://newsthud.com/buttigieg-pledges-to-decriminalize-heroin-and-meth-possession-if-elected-president/
>>>>> 
>>>>> Washington Post on cryptography company, Crypto AG
>>>>> http://archive.ph/pk2nu
>>>>> https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/national-security/cia-crypto-encryption-machines-espionage/
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Notes from J.B. Nicholson, Man of Mystery
>>>>> https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/2020-February/051903.html
>>>>> https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace/2020-February/015713.html
>>>>> 
>>>>> -J
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Peace mailing list
>>>>> Peace at lists.chambana.net
>>>>> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace
>>>> 
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Peace mailing list
>>>> Peace at lists.chambana.net
>>>> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Peace-discuss mailing list
>>> Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
>>> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace-discuss
>> 
> 


From carl at newsfromneptune.com  Wed Feb 19 04:22:43 2020
From: carl at newsfromneptune.com (C. G. Estabrook)
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2020 22:22:43 -0600
Subject: [Peace] News From Neptune #451 - Friday, February 14, 2020
Message-ID: <EE0D6444-1377-4080-8662-48657ADE1F05@newsfromneptune.com>

News From Neptune #451 - Friday, February 14, 2020
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EPfBzOAwcw
A "Trump is Not the Problem" edition

A list of links to items referenced on the show.

Caitlin Johnstone on "The Belief That Everything Will Be Fine Once Trump?s Gone Is More Dangerous Than Trump"
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2020/02/13/the-belief-that-everything-will-be-fine-once-trumps-gone-is-more-dangerous-than-trump/

Matthew Lee and Kathy Gannon on "Official says US, Taliban reach Afghanistan truce agreement"
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/pompeo-esper-meet-afghan-president-153606581.html
https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/national/u-s-taliban-reach-truce-agreement-that-could-lead-to-withdrawals-of-american-troops-official-says
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/pompeo-esper-meet-afghan-president-on-cusp-of-taliban-deal/2020/02/14/2e4f0174-4f40-11ea-967b-e074d302c7d4_story.html




Jimmy Dore show on Chris Matthews fearing execution under a Bernie Sanders administration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59xWVNIk7cg

StPetePolls.org poll conducted for FloridaPolitics.com claiming Michael Bloomberg is taking the lead in Florida
http://stpetepolls.org/files/StPetePolls_2020_State_DEMprimaryFebruary13_YBN5.pdf
https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-02-14/poll-finds-michael-bloomberg-leads-among-democrats-in-florida

Independence (probability theory)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_(probability_theory)
Simple English: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_(statistics)

Steven Salaita on "How Bernie Sanders Became a Fighter for Palestine"
https://stevesalaita.com/how-bernie-sanders-became-a-fighter-for-palestine/
https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/02/13/how-bernie-sanders-became-a-fighter-for-palestine/

Norman Finkelstein on "The Two-State Solution is Dead"
https://imemc.org/article/norman-finkelstein-the-two-state-solution-is-dead/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx5k3E47AoQ -- related on Finkelstein critiquing BDS and Two-State Solution

Abby Martin sues State of Georgia over law requiring anti-BDS pledge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEMGvl0TfH0

Related coverage:
https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Antisemitism/Documentary-filmmaker-files-federal-lawsuit-against-Georgias-antiBDS-law-617329
https://www.greanvillepost.com/2020/02/11/journalist-abby-martin-sues-state-of-georgia-over-law-requiring-pledge-of-allegiance-to-israel/
https://www.rt.com/usa/480806-abby-martin-georgia-bds/
https://www.sott.net/article/429019-Journalist-Abby-Martin-sues-state-of-Georgia-over-law-requiring-pledge-of-allegiance-to-Israel

The Jerusalem Post on "Illinois becomes first state to list companies banned for business due to BDS"
https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Illinois-becomes-first-state-to-list-companies-banned-for-business-due-to-BDS-448601

Democracy Now on "?Our Very Existence Is the Resistance?: An Hour w/ AOC, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib & Ilhan Omar"
https://www.democracynow.org/2020/2/10/democracy_now_the_squad_sotu



Jimmy Dore on Tucker Carlson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyub6M8Qfqs

Jimmy Dore & co. on "Wall St. Pete!" and boos for Buttigieg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gowkCRFV5e8

So far there are no relevant hits for this event (or booing and "Wall St. Pete!") on Democracy Now
https://www.democracynow.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=wall+st+pete&commit=Search
https://www.democracynow.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=wall+street+pete&commit=Search

Facebook is in cahoots with CNN and Buttigieg campaign: Jimmy Dore's Facebook post showing how the DNC was flipping votes to favor Buttigieg and he received a warning from Facebook
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfQ7Zo6m9yg

Benjamin Studebaker & Aimee Terese's show "What's Left?"
https://soundcloud.com/whatisleftpod/ -- list of recent episodes
https://twitter.com/whatisleftpod -- Twitter account
https://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:595199712/sounds.rss -- RSS feed

Daniel Denvir's "The Dig" show from Jacobin magazine
https://www.thedigradio.com/
RSS feed: https://www.thedigradio.com/feed/podcast/

"What's Left?" episode on "Open Borders"
https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/607333614-whatisleftpod-open-borders.mp3




Pete Buttigieg on Drugs
https://www.ontheissues.org/2020/Pete_Buttigieg_Drugs.htm
https://newsthud.com/buttigieg-pledges-to-decriminalize-heroin-and-meth-possession-if-elected-president/

Washington Post on cryptography company, Crypto AG
http://archive.ph/pk2nu
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/national-security/cia-crypto-encryption-machines-espionage/




Notes from J.B. Nicholson, Man of Mystery
https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/2020-February/051903.html
https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace/2020-February/015713.html

-J
_______________________________________________
Peace-discuss mailing list
Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace-discuss

From jbn at forestfield.org  Wed Feb 19 04:24:29 2020
From: jbn at forestfield.org (J.B. Nicholson)
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2020 22:24:29 -0600
Subject: [Peace] AWARE on the Air #505 notes
Message-ID: <36b67547-1efb-f6da-6b2c-36e5113ed8bf@forestfield.org>

AWARE on the Air #505
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb64SzFg-rk

A list of links to items referenced on the show.

Joseph Bauers on "Lies, lies, lies drive war theme" in the News-Gazette
This letter to the editor is not yet online. A followup to this post should have the 
URL when the article is posted on the News-Gazette's website.

"Penny For Your Thoughts" from WDWS 1400 AM (also related to the News-Gazette)
RSS of multiple News-Gazette shows: 
https://www.news-gazette.com/search/?f=rss&t=article&c=podcasts
https://www.news-gazette.com/podcasts/penny-for-your-thoughts/

Samuel D. Finkelstein on "The spooks? choice: Coup plotters and CIA agents fill Pete 
Buttigieg?s list of national security endorsers"
https://thegrayzone.com/2019/12/30/coup-plotters-cia-agents-mayor-pete-endorsers/



Jacob Levich on "Ocasio-Cortez to Constituents on Bolivian Coup: Drop Dead"
https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/02/14/ocasio-cortez-to-constituents-on-bolivian-coup-drop-dead/

Chris Hedges interviews Lisa Fithian, author of "Shut It Down"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb64SzFg-rk

-J

From karenaram at hotmail.com  Wed Feb 19 12:56:11 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen)
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2020 04:56:11 -0800
Subject: [Peace] [Peace-discuss]  News From Neptune #451 notes
In-Reply-To: <0198EC55-389C-4C73-8889-2401A15D2BCC@newsfromneptune.com>
References: <790e735a-926c-cb6c-7e99-2bb7172a52a7@forestfield.org>
 <DM6PR13MB28758B460D45F1D3DC7D27B6A3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
 <DM6PR13MB287531FC46F8C9FDFB48CC00A3160@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
 <9EFBA21B-2AE9-47BC-855C-1A13ADCF5F12@newsfromneptune.com>
 <DM6PR13MB2875D1372E463825A7227D1EA3100@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
 <0198EC55-389C-4C73-8889-2401A15D2BCC@newsfromneptune.com>
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB2875744E9393A462C75B560CA3100@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

Yes, exactly, and going further explaining why the US is so interested in the Ukraine, and supplying the Nazi?s we installed in their government 2014, with weapons. You have and you usually do detail this issue. It needs to be continued given so many liberals only see what is taking place in DC, not on the ground elsewhere. However, it isn?t just liberals.  

> On Feb 18, 2020, at 18:31, C. G. Estabrook <carl at newsfromneptune.com> wrote:
> 
> Then why don?t we spend more time on, e.g., why the US government engineered a coup in Ukraine and then murderous attacks by the government we installed on their citizens?
> 
> Instead, we?re told to remove Trump and install a president who will do that more vigorously. That?s the liberal position.
> 
> 
>> On Feb 18, 2020, at 8:12 PM, Karen <karenaram at hotmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> I quite agree, which is why I think focusing on, who, why, and what is behind what a President does rather than on the President.
>> 
>> 
>>> On Feb 18, 2020, at 17:43, C. G. Estabrook <carl at newsfromneptune.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Trump is, simply put, a bad guy.
>>> 
>>> But ?sancta simplicitas' doesn?t get us very far in understanding how to oppose US government crimes.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On Feb 17, 2020, at 1:51 PM, Karen via Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> One more comment after finishing the last few minutes of the program:  Good job David countering Carl?s assertion that Trump is simply put, not a bad guy, though true he is giving the establishment a hard time, and he would like to bring the troops home, or at least provides that impression. Either way, a good guy especially when it comes to domestic issues, Bolivia, Venezuela and Iran, Trump is not. 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> On Feb 17, 2020, at 11:18, Karen via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> Good show, touched on some important issues.
>>>>> 
>>>>> My comments: 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Jimmy Dore is not the only one exposing Pete Bugigieg, etc. Lee Camp another comedian focused on politics has done the same. I mention this because I rarely see the JD show, not finding it funny or entertaining and Jimmy when I have seen him comes off as a mainstream Democrat. Lee is not, he is a real leftest not supporting either of the one Party system.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Open borders, I?m told is anarchist in origin, but as you both point out, while its to be supported, it doesn?t solve the problems in that it just touches the surface, transferring the problems of inequality, placing a greater burden on many communities that aren?t able to provide for the many already present, hence the rise in racism we see across Europe.
>>>>> 
>>>>> You?re both on target related to infrastructure programs of jobs, but not merely to make profit for the private sector but it should be coming from government to improve the lives of the people, as elsewhere in the world where socialist policies with a planned economy take place. That might of course require defunding militarism, in order to free up funding.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Just my humble opinion.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Feb 15, 2020, at 18:27, J.B. Nicholson via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> News From Neptune #451
>>>>>> Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EPfBzOAwcw
>>>>>> A "Trump is Not the Problem" edition
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> A list of links to items referenced on the show.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Caitlin Johnstone on "The Belief That Everything Will Be Fine Once Trump?s Gone Is More Dangerous Than Trump"
>>>>>> https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2020/02/13/the-belief-that-everything-will-be-fine-once-trumps-gone-is-more-dangerous-than-trump/
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Matthew Lee and Kathy Gannon on "Official says US, Taliban reach Afghanistan truce agreement"
>>>>>> https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/pompeo-esper-meet-afghan-president-153606581.html
>>>>>> https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/national/u-s-taliban-reach-truce-agreement-that-could-lead-to-withdrawals-of-american-troops-official-says
>>>>>> https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/pompeo-esper-meet-afghan-president-on-cusp-of-taliban-deal/2020/02/14/2e4f0174-4f40-11ea-967b-e074d302c7d4_story.html
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Jimmy Dore show on Chris Matthews fearing execution under a Bernie Sanders administration
>>>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59xWVNIk7cg
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> StPetePolls.org poll conducted for FloridaPolitics.com claiming Michael Bloomberg is taking the lead in Florida
>>>>>> http://stpetepolls.org/files/StPetePolls_2020_State_DEMprimaryFebruary13_YBN5.pdf
>>>>>> https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-02-14/poll-finds-michael-bloomberg-leads-among-democrats-in-florida
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Independence (probability theory)
>>>>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_(probability_theory)
>>>>>> Simple English: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_(statistics)
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Steven Salaita on "How Bernie Sanders Became a Fighter for Palestine"
>>>>>> https://stevesalaita.com/how-bernie-sanders-became-a-fighter-for-palestine/
>>>>>> https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/02/13/how-bernie-sanders-became-a-fighter-for-palestine/
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Norman Finkelstein on "The Two-State Solution is Dead"
>>>>>> https://imemc.org/article/norman-finkelstein-the-two-state-solution-is-dead/
>>>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx5k3E47AoQ -- related on Finkelstein critiquing BDS and Two-State Solution
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Abby Martin sues State of Georgia over law requiring anti-BDS pledge
>>>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEMGvl0TfH0
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Related coverage:
>>>>>> https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Antisemitism/Documentary-filmmaker-files-federal-lawsuit-against-Georgias-antiBDS-law-617329
>>>>>> https://www.greanvillepost.com/2020/02/11/journalist-abby-martin-sues-state-of-georgia-over-law-requiring-pledge-of-allegiance-to-israel/
>>>>>> https://www.rt.com/usa/480806-abby-martin-georgia-bds/
>>>>>> https://www.sott.net/article/429019-Journalist-Abby-Martin-sues-state-of-Georgia-over-law-requiring-pledge-of-allegiance-to-Israel
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> The Jerusalem Post on "Illinois becomes first state to list companies banned for business due to BDS"
>>>>>> https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Illinois-becomes-first-state-to-list-companies-banned-for-business-due-to-BDS-448601
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Democracy Now on "?Our Very Existence Is the Resistance?: An Hour w/ AOC, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib & Ilhan Omar"
>>>>>> https://www.democracynow.org/2020/2/10/democracy_now_the_squad_sotu
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Jimmy Dore on Tucker Carlson
>>>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyub6M8Qfqs
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Jimmy Dore & co. on "Wall St. Pete!" and boos for Buttigieg
>>>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gowkCRFV5e8
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> So far there are no relevant hits for this event (or booing and "Wall St. Pete!") on Democracy Now
>>>>>> https://www.democracynow.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=wall+st+pete&commit=Search
>>>>>> https://www.democracynow.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=wall+street+pete&commit=Search
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Facebook is in cahoots with CNN and Buttigieg campaign: Jimmy Dore's Facebook post showing how the DNC was flipping votes to favor Buttigieg and he received a warning from Facebook
>>>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfQ7Zo6m9yg
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Benjamin Studebaker & Aimee Terese's show "What's Left?"
>>>>>> https://soundcloud.com/whatisleftpod/ -- list of recent episodes
>>>>>> https://twitter.com/whatisleftpod -- Twitter account
>>>>>> https://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:595199712/sounds.rss -- RSS feed
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Daniel Denvir's "The Dig" show from Jacobin magazine
>>>>>> https://www.thedigradio.com/
>>>>>> RSS feed: https://www.thedigradio.com/feed/podcast/
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> "What's Left?" episode on "Open Borders"
>>>>>> https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/607333614-whatisleftpod-open-borders.mp3
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Pete Buttigieg on Drugs
>>>>>> https://www.ontheissues.org/2020/Pete_Buttigieg_Drugs.htm
>>>>>> https://newsthud.com/buttigieg-pledges-to-decriminalize-heroin-and-meth-possession-if-elected-president/
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Washington Post on cryptography company, Crypto AG
>>>>>> http://archive.ph/pk2nu
>>>>>> https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/national-security/cia-crypto-encryption-machines-espionage/
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Notes from J.B. Nicholson, Man of Mystery
>>>>>> https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/2020-February/051903.html
>>>>>> https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace/2020-February/015713.html
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> -J
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> Peace mailing list
>>>>>> Peace at lists.chambana.net
>>>>>> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace
>>>>> 
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Peace mailing list
>>>>> Peace at lists.chambana.net
>>>>> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace
>>>> 
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Peace-discuss mailing list
>>>> Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
>>>> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace-discuss
>>> 
>> 
> 


From karenaram at hotmail.com  Wed Feb 19 14:08:40 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2020 06:08:40 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Crosstalk: Atlantic-alliance-Europe-Choice
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB28751D68ED42D8DB7D8230FDA3100@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

One may not like the individuals, or agree with what they say, but they offer a broader perspective than that which most Americans never see or hear. 

https://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/481108-atlantic-alliance-europe-choice/ <https://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/481108-atlantic-alliance-europe-choice/>
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From naiman.uiuc at gmail.com  Wed Feb 19 17:18:21 2020
From: naiman.uiuc at gmail.com (Robert Naiman)
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2020 12:18:21 -0500
Subject: [Peace] CEPR: Biden Championed the Iraq War. Will That Come Back to
 Haunt Him Now?
In-Reply-To: <CALMNhNTUfzL+KCuommHx+O-gyxd0Rg+tkGVYmbMPvnbVRWP6sA@mail.gmail.com>
References: <83.F9.13641.41E2C4E5@asv11mtam008.ngpweb.com>
 <CALMNhNQgv-ixDRySkz8jzTbSP8bu1=47YTQCmXj58DGua4S3cQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <CALMNhNTUfzL+KCuommHx+O-gyxd0Rg+tkGVYmbMPvnbVRWP6sA@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <CALMNhNSWrm7=QezzAZHBUOyMJYriR6kXwcto72Vz2_=tXSTTag@mail.gmail.com>

The 20 minute video features, among others: Larry Wilkerson, Stephen
Kinzer, Matthew Hoh.

In addition to the footage of Biden arguing for the war before and after
[contrary to his current claims, as major media have documented], and
analysts talking about Biden's crucial, unique role shepherding the 2002
Iraq AUMF through the Senate, including by excluding dissident testimony
from Senate hearings as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee [a
direct analogy to his role in the Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas hearings as
chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee], the video includes footage from
Senator Durbin's April 2007 floor speech, in which he stated that the case
being presented to the American public by U.S. officials through the U.S.
media at the time of the Senate vote did not match the U.S. intelligence he
saw at the time of the vote as a member of the Senate Intelligence
Committee.

There's something crucial at stake here besides who the Dem nominee is.
This is about what kind of country we are. Why did Democrats on the Senate
Intelligence Committee fight for the publication of the executive summary
of the Senate Intelligence Committee's report on CIA torture, against the
resistance and sabotage of John Brennan's CIA? Because a country that tells
the truth about its past crimes is different from a country that doesn't.
If some Japanese politician tries to deny the war crimes that Japan
committed during World War II, that justly causes outrage. The same should
be true in America.

We never had a real honest public accounting about this crime, including
who participated in it, and how they participated. And this is a key reason
that we repeated different instances of the crime in Libya, Syria, and
Yemen, and why we're still at war in Iraq and Afghanistan. We need to tell
the truth about this crime. There's no time like the present.

The direct link to the video page is here:

https://www.worththeprice.org

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Mark Weisbrot, CEPR <cepr at cepr.net>
Date: Tue, Feb 18, 2020 at 1:33 PM
Subject: Joe Biden Championed the Iraq War. Will That Come Back to Haunt
Him Now?
To: Robert Naiman <naiman.uiuc at gmail.com>


The Iraq War has been a prominent, even decisive issue, in recent US
presidential elections. That will make Biden?s history a liability
The Iraq War has been a prominent, even decisive issue, in recent US
presidential elections. That will make Biden?s history a liability
[image: alt_text]
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146678/159589290/560114623?nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
Joe Biden Championed the Iraq War. Will That Come Back to Haunt Him Now?
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146679/159589291/1758277134?nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
[image: alt_text]
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146680/159589292/-291490464?nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>


See Mark Weisbrot's new film, "Worth the Price? Joe Biden and the Launch of
the Iraq War" here
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146681/159589293/-291490464?nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
.

*By: Mark Weisbrot*

*This article was published by The Guardian on February 17, 2020.* *If
anyone wants to reprint it, please include a link to the original
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146682/159589294/-570378011?nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>.
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*.*

Joe Biden has an issue that hasn?t played out yet in this election: his
role in the launch of the Iraq War.

The Iraq War has been a prominent, even decisive issue, in some recent US
presidential elections. It played a significant role in the surprise
presidential primary victory won by a freshman senator from Illinois named
Barack Obama in 2008. His heavily favored Democratic primary opponent,
Hillary Clinton, had voted in the US Senate to authorize the war, and Obama
didn?t let
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146686/159589298/1914699893?c4850222/user-clip-california-democratic-presidential-candidates-debate&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
her
forget it during
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146687/159589299/-803653937?v=Idk2jB1y8iI&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
that
contest.

In 2016, Donald Trump invoked the Iraq War against
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146688/159589300/-803653937?v=H4ThZcq1oJQ&feature=youtu.be&t=110&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
opponents
in his own surprise victory in the Republican primary. And then he used
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146689/159589301/-803653937?v=6wojm7tMT84&feature=youtu.be&t=153&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
it
against Clinton, most likely with significant
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146690/159589302/1366476885?abstract_id=2989040&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
effect,
in the general election that followed.

Biden did vastly more than just vote for the war. Yet his role in bringing
about that war remains mostly unknown or misunderstood by the public. When
the war was debated and then authorized by the US Congress in 2002,
Democrats controlled the Senate and Biden was chair of the Senate Committee
on Foreign Relations. Biden himself had enormous influence as chair and
argued strongly in favor of the 2002 resolution granting President Bush the
authority to invade Iraq.

?I do not believe this is a rush to war,? Biden said
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146691/159589303/1914699893?c4842865/user-clip-sen-joe-biden-jr-votes-authorizing-president-bush-declare-war&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
a
few days before the vote. ?I believe it is a march to peace and security. I
believe that failure to overwhelmingly support this resolution is likely to
enhance the prospects that war will occur ??

But he had a power much greater than his own words. He was able to choose
all 18 witnesses in the main Senate hearings on Iraq. And he mainly chose
people who supported a pro-war position. They argued in favor of ?regime
change as the stated US policy
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146692/159589304/1914699893?c4850037/user-clip-cfr-iraq-aumf-hearing-dr-hamza-supporting-regime-change&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>?
and warned of ?a nuclear-armed Saddam sometime in this decade
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146693/159589305/1914699893?c4850039/user-clip-berger-saddam-nuclear-threat&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>.?
That Iraqis would ?welcome the United States as liberators
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146694/159589306/1914699893?c4850040/user-clip-francke-they-ready-united-states-liberators&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>.?
And that Iraq ?permits known al-Qaeda members to live and move freely
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146695/159589307/1914699893?c4850126/user-clip-weinberger-al-qaeda-moving-freely-iraq&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
about
in Iraq? and that ?they are being supported
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146696/159589308/1914699893?c4850043/user-clip-berger-al-qaeda-supported-iraq&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
.?

The lies about al-Qaeda were perhaps the most transparently obvious of the
falsehoods created to justify the Iraq War. As anyone familiar with the
subject matter could testify, Saddam Hussein ran a secular government and
had a hatred, which was mutual, for religious extremists like al-Qaeda. But
Biden did not choose from among the many expert witnesses who would have
explained that to the Senate, and to the media.

Biden?s selling points as a candidate often lead with his reputation for
foreign policy experience and knowledge. But Iraq in 2002 was devastated by
economic sanctions, had no weapons of mass destruction, and was known by
even the most pro-war experts to have no missiles that could come close to
the United States. The idea that this country on the other side of the
world posed a security threat to America was more than far-fetched. The
idea that the US could simply invade, topple the government, and take over
the country without provoking enormous violence was also implausible. It?s
not clear how anyone with foreign policy experience and expertise could
have believed these ideas.

Senator Dick Durbin, who sat on the Senate intelligence committee at the
time, was astounded
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146697/159589309/1914699893?c4850066/user-clip-durbin-the-information-intelligence-committee-information-american-people-couldnt&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
by
the difference between what he was hearing there and what was being fed to
the public. ?The American people were deceived into this war
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146698/159589310/1914699893?c4850045/user-clip-durbin-american-people-deceived-war&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>,?
he said.

Regardless of Biden?s intentions ? which I make no claim to know or
understand ? the resolution granting President Bush the authority to start
that war, which Biden pushed through the Senate, was a major part of that
deception. So, too, was the restricted testimony that Biden allowed. The
resolution itself contained
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146699/159589311/641202124?nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
deceptive
language about a number of pretexts for the war, including al-Qaeda and
weapons of mass destruction that Iraq did not have.

The Iraq War has generally been seen as one of the worst US foreign policy
blunders in decades. It fueled the spread of terrorism and destabilized the
Middle East and parts of North Africa. ?ISIL is a direct outgrowth of
al-Qaeda in Iraq, that grew out of our invasion,? noted
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146700/159589312/1366510832?t=744&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
President
Obama.

More than 4,500 US soldiers, and nearly as many US military contractors,
lost their lives; tens of thousands were wounded, with hundreds of
thousands more suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Estimates of
Iraqi deaths run as high as 1 million
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146701/159589313/-819848033?nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
.

At the very least, Biden should explain why he played such a major role in
winning the authorization from Congress for President Bush to wage this
disastrous war.
[image: alt_text]
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146702/159589314/644221993?nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>

*Mark Weisbrot*
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146703/159589315/644221993?nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
is Co-Director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in
Washington, DC. He received his Ph.D. in economics from the University of
Michigan. He is author of the book *Failed: What the "Experts" Got Wrong
About the Global Economy*
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146704/159589316/-221780188?cc=us&lang=en&&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
(Oxford
University Press, 2015), co-author, with Dean Baker, of *Social Security:
The Phony Crisis* (University of Chicago Press, 2000), and has written
numerous research papers on economic policy.
[image: alt_text]
<https://click.everyaction.com/k/15146705/159589317/-1314930864?nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9FQS9FQTAwMy8xLzc1Mzc2IiwNCiAgIkRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvblVuaXF1ZUlkIjogImMxOTgyOTJkLTdkNTItZWExMS1hOTRjLTAwMTU1ZDAzOWU3NCIsDQogICJFbWFpbEFkZHJlc3MiOiAibmFpbWFuLnVpdWNAZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=h0fVnHe2BZRyYNsSPThMhfiinJJ0MIFijOqaQ6YyA6o=&emci=0d726ad3-7152-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=c198292d-7d52-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=5567652>
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From carl at newsfromneptune.com  Fri Feb 21 05:22:14 2020
From: carl at newsfromneptune.com (C. G. Estabrook)
Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2020 23:22:14 -0600
Subject: [Peace] Stone, the crows...
Message-ID: <E7AD23BA-69FA-48A4-B984-4CE3A3FA3D21@newsfromneptune.com>

https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2020/02/seeing-through-the-lies-us-edition/


From jbn at forestfield.org  Fri Feb 21 08:26:29 2020
From: jbn at forestfield.org (J.B. Nicholson)
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2020 02:26:29 -0600
Subject: [Peace] Notes
Message-ID: <86de0ff3-9687-03d3-646d-31fb02cf9c0c@forestfield.org>

Have a good show guys. Here are a few stories to reflect and riff on.





It looks like we're getting better journalism from The Grayzone and RT (alternative 
news) than the mainstream corporate-friendly outfits. Both of these are news sources 
we're told (largely through silence on Grayzone stories, and by labeling RT "Russian 
propaganda") to ignore.


Syrian gas attack update: 3rd OPCW leaker confirms the Douma account was fabricated

 From https://on.rt.com/aati

> A third whistle-blower has come forward to corroborate the previous complaints
> that the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) tried to
> suppress evidence-gathering in the Douma probe, a report says.
> 
> The alleged new whistleblower, whose redacted email was shared by the Grayzone
> Project on Tuesday, backed the complaints made by two former OPCW employees ?
> South African engineer and organization's veteran Ian Henderson, and another
> whistleblower known as 'Alex.'
> 
> OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias had earlier dismissed the pair ? dubbed
> Inspector A and Inspector B in the organization's inquiry into their claims ? as
> low-level rogue employees who conducted field work without proper authorization
> and which simply "could not accept that their views were not backed by evidence."
> 
> However, the person, described by Grayzone as a former senior official with the
> OPCW, stood by Henderson and 'Alex,' writing that his time with the organization
> was "the most stressful and unpleasant" one in his life.

https://thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Henderson-Testimony-UN.pdf -- 
Henderson testimony




"Mayor Pete" is also CIA asset Pete (hence the #CIAPete tag on Twitter)

https://thegrayzone.com/2020/02/07/pete-buttigieg-cia-afghanistan/

> While Buttigieg?s campaign denies allegations he was a CIA asset, military records
> reveal Mayor Pete was in a unit that worked with the spy agency in Afghanistan.
> 
> After The Grayzone published an article about Pete Buttigieg?s roster of
> endorsements from CIA veterans and coup plotters, and another about his mysterious
> trip to Somaliland alongside a friend who now works for a US government
> regime-change agency, Pete Buttigieg?s presidential campaign issued a public
> statement denying that he ever worked for the CIA.
> 
> ?We hate to break the news to Twitter, but no, Pete was not in the CIA,?
> Buttigieg?s national press secretary Chris Meagher derisively told The Daily
> Beast, which directly referenced both Grayzone reports. ?As for the Somaliland
> trip, it was not related to his work anywhere.?
> 
> The Daily Beast article appeared in response not only to factual reporting by The
> Grayzone, but to a wave of allegations spread online through hashtags like
> #CIAPete which accused Buttigieg of being a CIA asset.
> 
> Following the fiasco in Iowa, in which voting results were blocked thanks to
> faulty technology produced by a dark money outfit linked to Buttigieg ? and Mayor
> Pete inexplicably took to  himself the victor ? the hashtag trended nationally.
> 
> Neither article published by The Grayzone accused Buttigieg of working for the
> CIA. However, according to military documents that have gone mostly under the
> media?s radar, it does appear that the former mayor worked alongside the CIA while
> serving as a high-ranking Naval intelligence officer during his short stint in
> Afghanistan.
> 
> Moreover, the unit Buttigieg supervised was a subset of the Drug Enforcement
> Administration, the US agency responsible for the disastrous war on drugs that has
> spawned humanitarian catastrophes throughout Latin America and much of the world.
> 
> Early on in his military career, Pete Buttigieg worked as an intelligence analyst
> at US European Command, where he ?conduct[ed] research and analysis of information
> to create accurate, timely intelligence products in support of USEUCOM theater
> operations,? according to mostly redacted military records released under the
> Freedom of Information Act.
> 
> Under a section labelled ?command employment and command achievements,?
> Buttigieg?s papers indicate that intelligence was provided to ?USEUCOM, NATO,
> Deployed Units and other commands, including operations in Africa and the former
> Yugoslavia.?
> 
> Buttigieg would eventually return to EUCOM, where he was promoted to team leader,
> supervising one officer and four intelligence analysts.



Economy: It takes more working now to earn as much salary as one did in 1985. Major 
household expenditures are all more expensive now.

https://twitter.com/oren_cass/status/1230505649794166785
> Oren Cass: In 1985, the typical male worker could cover a family of four's major
> expenditures (housing, health care, transportation, education) on 30 weeks of
> salary. By 2018 it took 53 weeks.

Also see https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EROifNjWkAEcgTm.jpg -- "Major Household 
Expenditures vs. Median Income" chart.

Cass was a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute from 2015-2019.




Assange: Media misrepresents alleged pardon, story amounts to nothing
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-assange/trump-offered-to-pardon-assange-if-he-co-operated-over-email-leak-uk-court-hears-idUSKBN20D2A2 
-- Reuters

Reuters reported:
> U.S. President Donald Trump offered to pardon WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange if
> he said that Russia had nothing to do with WikiLeaks? publication of Democratic
> Party emails in 2016, a London court heard on Wednesday.
> 
> Assange appeared by videolink from prison as lawyers discussed the management of
> his hearing next week to decide whether he should be extradited to the United
> States.
> 
> At Westminster Magistrates? Court, Assange?s barrister, Edward Fitzgerald,
> referred to a witness statement by former Republican U.S. Representative Dana
> Rohrabacher who visited Assange in 2017, saying he had been sent by the president
> to offer a pardon.
> 
> The pardon would come on the condition that Assange say the Russians were not
> involved in the email leak that damaged Hillary Clinton?s presidential campaign in
> 2016 against Trump, Rohrabacher?s statement said.

jbn: But Assange has repeatedly said the DNC email leaks did not come from Russia or 
a state actor.

Jimmy Dore (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8nMOWqIijg) had the clip of Assange 
telling Fox News' Sean Hannity from 3 years ago (see the clip in 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyCOy25GdjQ ):

> Julian Assange: We can say, and we have said repeatedly over the last two months,
> that our source is not the Russian government and it is not state party.
As per usual with Assange, he's telling you the unvarnished truth about the source. 
Fox News' Tucker Carlson said (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcny7RgzI4M ) that 
Assange has no reason to lie and Carlson is correct. Assange told Afshin Rattansi 
(host of RT's "Going Underground") that Trump has "no substantial connection" with 
Russia (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBFIdGZiQ20):

> Julian Assange: Hillary Clinton has done quite well strategically to try and draw
> a connection between Trump and Russia because she has so many connections of her
> own. Now, my analysis of Trump and Russia is that there is no substantial
> connection. Why do I say that? Well because Trump was trying to invest in Russia
> before Putin in the 1990s, after Putin, in fact nearly all the way up to the
> present moment and he's had no success. He did not manage to build hotels and so
> on in Russia. So that shows how insubstantial his contacts are. There's an
> extremely well-documented pattern of when Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State
> those people (companies, governments) who wanted a decision by the Secretary of
> State in their favor making large donations to the Clinton Foundation or in some
> cases business deals with the people around Hillary Clinton. Now one particular
> instance is the approval by Secretary Clinton of selling 20% of the U.S. uranium
> reprocessing rights to a Russian company to be exported to Russia. So at that time
> a large donation was made by those Russian interests to the Clinton Foundation. In
> addition, Clinton's campaign manager, Podesta, was on the board of a company
> called Joule Unlimited. And Joule Unlimited held some of these rights and received
> a $35 million investment from Russia.

In fact, Assange gave us a bit of a clue as to who the DNC email leak source was in 
an interview with a Dutch news program "Nieuwsuur" about 3 years ago (see 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp7FkLBRpKg ):

> Interviewer: Donald Trump has had a disastrous few weeks if you look at the polls,
> he needs a miracle in the American political lexicon there's such a thing as the
> "October Surprise". The stuff that you're sitting on, is an October Surprise in
> there? Do you even know what you're sitting on?
> 
> Julian Assange: WikiLeaks never sits on material. Whistleblowers go to significant
> efforts to get us material and often very significant risks. There's a 27-year-old
> who works for the DNC who was shot in the back, murdered just two weeks ago for
> unknown reasons as he was walking down the street in Washington.
> 
> Interviewer: That was just a robbery, I believe, wasn't it?
> 
> Julian Assange: No, there's no finding.
> 
> Interviewer: What are you suggesting? What are you suggesting?
> 
> Julian Assange: I'm suggesting that our sources take risks and they become
> concerned to see things occurring like that.
> 
> Interviewer: But was he one of your sources, then?
> 
> Julian Assange: We don't comment on who are sources are.
> 
> Interviewer: Then why make the suggestion about a young guy being shot in the
> streets of Washington?
> 
> Julian Assange: Because that we have to understand how high the stakes are in the
> United States. And that our sources are, you know our sources face serious risks.
> That's why they come to us so we can protect their anonymity.
> 
> Interviewer: But it's quite something to suggest a murder that's basically what
> you're doing.
> 
> Julian Assange: Well that others have suggested that. We are investigating to
> understand what happened in that situation with Seth Rich. I think it is a
> concerning situation. There's not a conclusion yet. We wouldn't be willing to
> state a conclusion but we are concerned about it and more importantly a variety of
> WikiLeaks sources are concerned when that kind of thing happens.




Identity politics/fabricating support for the CIA man: Pete Buttigieg Caught 
Fabricating Black Support For His Campaign...Again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EECa2iynFNA -- Jimmy Dore & co. coverage
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/democrat-pete-buttigieg-overstated-pledges-support-black-leaders/story?id=69053705 
-- ABC News (Disney)

> When Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg touted support from African
> American comedian and actor Keegan-Michael Key last week, his campaign was forced
> just hours later to clarify that the actor had not officially endorsed the former
> South Bend mayor, telling reporters he only sought to "encourage early voting and
> voter registration."
> 
> Key appeared with Buttigieg on Saturday to drum up voter support at his Henderson,
> Nevada field office.
> 
> The gaffe did not attract much attention. However, it was not the first time the
> Buttigieg campaign overstated having a tie with a prominent African American
> figure, or black business.
> 
> In several instances reviewed by ABC News, the Buttigieg campaign identified
> people as supporters who later said their interactions had either been
> misunderstood or misconstrued.
> 
> The mix-ups have come at a crucial moment for Buttigieg's campaign -- which has
> made a concerted effort to promote his desire for inclusivity, even as polls show
> he faces an ongoing challenge finding support from voters of color.
> 
> [...]
> 
> The first indications there was confusion about some of Buttigieg's claims of
> support came in October, when the campaign issued a press release in South
> Carolina that identified Rehoboth Baptist pastor and state Rep. Ivory Thigpen, and
> Johnnie Cordero, chairman of the Democratic Black Caucus, as prominent backers of
> the candidate's "Douglass Plan for Black America."
> 
> The comprehensive proposal, named after abolitionist leader and author Frederick
> Douglass, which aims to tackle racial inequality and improve the lives of black
> Americans, had support-- just not an official endorsement from those politicians
> named in the headline of the release.
> 
> "I never endorsed the Douglass Plan and it's not necessarily that it was a bad
> plan, but people have got to understand, you can't talk for black people, we're
> very capable of speaking for ourselves," Cordero told ABC News, adding that he was
> given no explanation as to why or how the mix-up occurred.
> 
> Then last week, Buttigieg wrote an op-ed in a major South Carolina newspaper
> saying his campaign has "proudly partnered with local businesses," citing Diane's
> Kitchen in Chester and Atlantis Restaurant in Moncks Corner. But when ABC News
> reached out to the entrepreneurs about these new partnerships, they only
> remembered welcoming Buttigieg's campaign as customers, not forging any sort of
> partnership with the candidate.
> 
> "I stand for what I stand for and I didn't say I had a partnership," Diane Cole,
> the owner of Diane's Kitchen, told ABC News on Friday, Feb. 14.
> 
> After being asked by ABC News about Cole's reaction, the campaign sent a series of
> messages to Cole trying to persuade her to change her position so it would more
> closely match the language Buttigieg used in his op-ed.
> 
> One version misspelled her name.
> 
> Cole told ABC News she rejected the initial requests, telling the campaign: "It
> sounds like you're saying that I am your business partner. I'm only going to
> accept that you all stopped in while you were campaigning in South Carolina and I
> welcomed you all."



PBS' "Frontline" on Amazon and Jeff Bezos

The show isn't too bad, but the interviewer goes on and on about the problems of 
proprietary software without knowing that is what he's really talking about. Every 
privacy story about Amazon's spybot "Echo" (billed as a "personal assistant") is 
really a tale of what happens when you lose your software freedom (the freedom to 
run, inspect, share, and modify published computer software, the opposite of 
proprietary software). The Amazon reps that say Echo only listens for its command 
word "Alexa" are bullshitting you. In order to act on that word it has to listen and 
transcribe all of the time, then pick out the command word and parse the following 
words to act on them. A computer literate interviewer would have known this.

If people had a free software device they could have hired someone to improve the 
software and lock it down to the user (or done the job themselves if they're 
sufficiently technical). Instead we have footage of people being spied on via their 
Amazon "security" spycam while their harasser taunts them over the device's speaker.

-J

From jbn at forestfield.org  Fri Feb 21 23:59:10 2020
From: jbn at forestfield.org (J.B. Nicholson)
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2020 17:59:10 -0600
Subject: [Peace] News from Neptune #452 notes
Message-ID: <31040c25-8894-6d05-8464-55bd91d3bd09@forestfield.org>

News from Neptune #452
A "Stone the Crows" edition
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93mmr1cHG88

A list of links to items referenced on the show.

Craig Murray on "Seeing Through the Lies ? US Edition"
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2020/02/seeing-through-the-lies-us-edition/

Sister Souljah moment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sister_Souljah_moment

Professional-managerial class
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional-managerial_class





Robert Scheer on "The Clinton Machine Will Do Anything to Stop Bernie Sanders"
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-clinton-machine-will-do-anything-to-stop-bernie-sanders/

An Open Letter to the Green Party for 2020
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/an-open-letter-to-the-green-party-for-2020/

Paul Krugman on "Warren, Bloomberg and What Really Matters"
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/20/opinion/warren-bloomberg-debate.html

Frank Bruni on "Why Democrats Are Bound for Disaster"
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/21/opinion/brokered-convention-democrats-2020.html

David Brooks on "Why Sanders Will Probably Win the Nomination"
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/20/opinion/bernie-sanders-win-2020.html

Thomas B. Edsall on "If Bernie Wins, Where Will He Take the Democratic Party?"
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/opinion/sanders-2020-election.html





Culinary Workers Union Member Would Trade Union Health Care for Medicare for All
https://truthout.org/video/culinary-workers-union-member-would-trade-union-health-care-for-medicare-for-all/

Related: 
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/12/13/i-have-some-best-health-insurance-union-member-can-get-i-would-trade-it-today 
-- Marcie Wells on "I Have 'Some of the Best' Health Insurance a Union Member Can 
Get, But I Would Trade It Today for Medicare for All"




People's Policy Project show
https://peopleandprojectspodcast.com/index.php/podcast-episodes.html
RSS: https://feeds.feedburner.com/PeopleAndProjectsPodcastBlog?format=xml

Matt Bruenig on "Michael Bloomberg Has Six Times More Wealth Than the Bottom 125 
Million Americans"
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2020/02/michael-bloomberg-wealth-inequality-presidential-primary

Oren Cass in https://twitter.com/oren_cass/status/1230505649794166785
 > Oren Cass: In 1985, the typical male worker could cover a family of four's major
 > expenditures (housing, health care, transportation, education) on 30 weeks of
 > salary. By 2018 it took 53 weeks.

Also see https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EROifNjWkAEcgTm.jpg for a chart of "Major 
Household Expenditures vs. Median Income".





Sundiata Cha-Jua on "Solving the schooling crisis"
https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/columns/real-talk-solving-the-schooling-crisis/article_94ddd3ec-585b-5fd5-844f-24ed424d2df3.html



Alex Rubinstein on "Media darling Pete Buttigieg was in unit that worked with the CIA 
in Afghanistan"
https://thegrayzone.com/2020/02/07/pete-buttigieg-cia-afghanistan/


Jimmy Dore & co. on media lying to boost Buttigieg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHl9SdbOThE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EECa2iynFNA

Related:
https://shadowproof.com -- Kevin Goztola's website



J.B. Nicholson's notes
https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace/2020-February/015736.html
https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/2020-February/051931.html

-J

From karenaram at hotmail.com  Sat Feb 22 15:47:51 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen)
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2020 07:47:51 -0800
Subject: [Peace] News from Neptune #452 notes
In-Reply-To: <31040c25-8894-6d05-8464-55bd91d3bd09@forestfield.org>
References: <31040c25-8894-6d05-8464-55bd91d3bd09@forestfield.org>
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB2875E08375F06C4A70542760A3EE0@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

An open letter to the Green Party below has one particular disturbing paragraph:
"But real solutions require Trump out of office. Real solutions will become far more probable with Sanders or Warren in office. Real solutions will become somewhat more probable even with the likes of Biden in office.?  

Biden in office better than Trump is highly questionable, its akin to being asked by a torturer ?would you rather be whipped in public or water boarded in private??

In respect to comments related to CIA connections to Navy as opposed to other branches of the military. I asked that very question many years ago, late 80?s to be exact, and was informed it had to do with the technical training received in the navy which often includes ?nuclear.? This appears to be true also of the British equivalent to the CIA, MI6.




> On Feb 21, 2020, at 15:59, J.B. Nicholson via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
> 
> News from Neptune #452
> A "Stone the Crows" edition
> Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93mmr1cHG88
> 
> A list of links to items referenced on the show.
> 
> Craig Murray on "Seeing Through the Lies ? US Edition"
> https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2020/02/seeing-through-the-lies-us-edition/
> 
> Sister Souljah moment
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sister_Souljah_moment
> 
> Professional-managerial class
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional-managerial_class
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Robert Scheer on "The Clinton Machine Will Do Anything to Stop Bernie Sanders"
> https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-clinton-machine-will-do-anything-to-stop-bernie-sanders/
> 
> An Open Letter to the Green Party for 2020
> https://www.truthdig.com/articles/an-open-letter-to-the-green-party-for-2020/
> 
> Paul Krugman on "Warren, Bloomberg and What Really Matters"
> https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/20/opinion/warren-bloomberg-debate.html
> 
> Frank Bruni on "Why Democrats Are Bound for Disaster"
> https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/21/opinion/brokered-convention-democrats-2020.html
> 
> David Brooks on "Why Sanders Will Probably Win the Nomination"
> https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/20/opinion/bernie-sanders-win-2020.html
> 
> Thomas B. Edsall on "If Bernie Wins, Where Will He Take the Democratic Party?"
> https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/opinion/sanders-2020-election.html
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Culinary Workers Union Member Would Trade Union Health Care for Medicare for All
> https://truthout.org/video/culinary-workers-union-member-would-trade-union-health-care-for-medicare-for-all/
> 
> Related: https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/12/13/i-have-some-best-health-insurance-union-member-can-get-i-would-trade-it-today -- Marcie Wells on "I Have 'Some of the Best' Health Insurance a Union Member Can Get, But I Would Trade It Today for Medicare for All"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> People's Policy Project show
> https://peopleandprojectspodcast.com/index.php/podcast-episodes.html
> RSS: https://feeds.feedburner.com/PeopleAndProjectsPodcastBlog?format=xml
> 
> Matt Bruenig on "Michael Bloomberg Has Six Times More Wealth Than the Bottom 125 Million Americans"
> https://www.jacobinmag.com/2020/02/michael-bloomberg-wealth-inequality-presidential-primary
> 
> Oren Cass in https://twitter.com/oren_cass/status/1230505649794166785
> > Oren Cass: In 1985, the typical male worker could cover a family of four's major
> > expenditures (housing, health care, transportation, education) on 30 weeks of
> > salary. By 2018 it took 53 weeks.
> 
> Also see https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EROifNjWkAEcgTm.jpg for a chart of "Major Household Expenditures vs. Median Income".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sundiata Cha-Jua on "Solving the schooling crisis"
> https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/columns/real-talk-solving-the-schooling-crisis/article_94ddd3ec-585b-5fd5-844f-24ed424d2df3.html
> 
> 
> 
> Alex Rubinstein on "Media darling Pete Buttigieg was in unit that worked with the CIA in Afghanistan"
> https://thegrayzone.com/2020/02/07/pete-buttigieg-cia-afghanistan/
> 
> 
> Jimmy Dore & co. on media lying to boost Buttigieg
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHl9SdbOThE
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EECa2iynFNA
> 
> Related:
> https://shadowproof.com -- Kevin Goztola's website
> 
> 
> 
> J.B. Nicholson's notes
> https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace/2020-February/015736.html
> https://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/2020-February/051931.html
> 
> -J
> _______________________________________________
> Peace mailing list
> Peace at lists.chambana.net
> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace

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From carl at newsfromneptune.com  Sat Feb 22 16:24:27 2020
From: carl at newsfromneptune.com (C. G. Estabrook)
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2020 10:24:27 -0600
Subject: [Peace] CJ Hopkins on Bloomberg et al.
Message-ID: <831E8D31-7D46-4427-97A9-B5F675221E35@newsfromneptune.com>

https://consentfactory.org/2020/02/21/subcomandante-bloomberg/

...it?s easy to get distracted by the day-to-day ups and downs of the horse race (which is the primary purpose of the horse race, after all) and forget that we are in the middle of a global capitalist War on Populism ? a war that GloboCap intends to win. Sure, they will survive another four years of Trump (or even four years of Sanders if they have to), but, at some point, in order to restore ?normality,? or ?democratic capitalism,? or whatever, they are probably going to need to stop dicking around and install a bona fide global capitalist oligarch in the Oval Office. They are going to need to do this in order to crush the hopes of the populist insurgency that erupted in the Spring of 2016, and led to the rise of Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, Jeremy Corbyn, the Brexit, the ongoing protests in France, the downfall of Angela Merkel, etc.

Another Obama is not going to cut it ? people aren?t buying that con anymore. No, if the empire is going to reestablish control, it is going to need to take its liberal mask off, and shove a blatant corporatist oligarch like Bloomberg down the public?s throat in order to remind everyone who?s boss. It may not be Michael Bloomberg this time, but it is going to be someone like Bloomberg eventually. Someone powerful, and extremely unpleasant, who will be sold to us as the only one who can save the world from the ?Nazis? and the ?Russians? ? which will necessitate taking some very extreme measures, like the ones we took during the War on Terror. You remember the measures we took back then, don?t you?

Or what, you think that GloboCap has been manufacturing all this mass hysteria over ?Russian election interference? and ?Nazi terrorism? for their own amusement? Yeah, that?s probably all it is. It?s probably not a prelude to anything.

?CJ Hopkins

From carl at newsfromneptune.com  Mon Feb 24 11:47:37 2020
From: carl at newsfromneptune.com (C. G. Estabrook)
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2020 05:47:37 -0600
Subject: [Peace] Astonishing
Message-ID: <62C69F2F-F909-42D3-A3AB-DB1D3448458D@newsfromneptune.com>

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/tucker-carlson-russia-isnt-attacking-our-democratic-system-our-own-ruling-class-is

...On MSNBC, host Lawrence O?Donnell said: ?The president is a Russian operative. That sounds like the description of a bad Hollywood screenplay, but it is real. And it is Vladimir Putin's greatest achievement. This is one of those shocking news days if you retain the capacity to be shocked in the Trump era by the Trump regime, which might be better labeled the Trump-Putin regime.?

...[Brian] Williams said on his show on MSNBC: ?We begin tonight with sad word that funeral services are pending this evening after the death of outrage earlier today ? outrage officially died of exhaustion though buoyed at the very end by the one bright spot, the realization that its close relative, apathy survives and is thriving.?



From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 24 14:32:42 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2020 06:32:42 -0800
Subject: [Peace] This is what the American people should be focused on,
 rather than the nonsense of russiagate.
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB28759E429AFAE4D713C3C61DA3EC0@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

https://thegrayzone.com/2020/02/23/russiagate-2-0-drowns-out-trumps-reckless-escalation-of-us-russia-nuclear-arms-race/ <https://thegrayzone.com/2020/02/23/russiagate-2-0-drowns-out-trumps-reckless-escalation-of-us-russia-nuclear-arms-race/>
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 24 14:32:42 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2020 06:32:42 -0800
Subject: [Peace] This is what the American people should be focused on,
 rather than the nonsense of russiagate.
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB28759E429AFAE4D713C3C61DA3EC0@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

https://thegrayzone.com/2020/02/23/russiagate-2-0-drowns-out-trumps-reckless-escalation-of-us-russia-nuclear-arms-race/ <https://thegrayzone.com/2020/02/23/russiagate-2-0-drowns-out-trumps-reckless-escalation-of-us-russia-nuclear-arms-race/>
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 24 16:19:45 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen)
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2020 08:19:45 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Fwd: My reaction to those Americans constantly posting
 anti-Chinese propaganda
References: <DM6PR13MB2875680F15C93F18C3930974A3EC0@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB28757219A1E40B13AFAA373FA3EC0@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

Americans are like the serial killer, who when captured points his finger at the guy across the street and screams, ?Look at him he yells at his wife sometimes."

Those receiving their news from mainstream media, are sure anything Chinese is bad. A simple reason is all that building and development with the BRI, linking nations, cutting costs of goods and services, the forgiveness of debt and interest free loans to some African nations, makes us look bad and we can't compete with our US foreign policy of death and destruction for those in the Middle East. A deeper reason is US foreign policy of containment of Russia, and eventual control of China, which likely means war.
> In the meantime, upcoming is the Sahel region of Africa with our military bases occupying all fifty four nations. The total destruction of Libya with its accompanying slavery, the death and destruction of millions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Syria, our sanctions causing death and destruction in Iran and Venezuela. Our over throw of a democratically elected, indigenous leader implementing social protection in Bolivia.
> 
> Our sanctions and interventions attempting to destroy Venezuela have failed, but we never give up do we?
> 
> I've left out the horrors implemented in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Chile, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, over the years, and I must not forget North Korea or Indonesia.
> 
> Let's look at cleaning our own house which is filthy, decaying and has been for many years.
> 

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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 24 16:19:45 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen)
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2020 08:19:45 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Fwd: My reaction to those Americans constantly posting
 anti-Chinese propaganda
References: <DM6PR13MB2875680F15C93F18C3930974A3EC0@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB28757219A1E40B13AFAA373FA3EC0@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

Americans are like the serial killer, who when captured points his finger at the guy across the street and screams, ?Look at him he yells at his wife sometimes."

Those receiving their news from mainstream media, are sure anything Chinese is bad. A simple reason is all that building and development with the BRI, linking nations, cutting costs of goods and services, the forgiveness of debt and interest free loans to some African nations, makes us look bad and we can't compete with our US foreign policy of death and destruction for those in the Middle East. A deeper reason is US foreign policy of containment of Russia, and eventual control of China, which likely means war.
> In the meantime, upcoming is the Sahel region of Africa with our military bases occupying all fifty four nations. The total destruction of Libya with its accompanying slavery, the death and destruction of millions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Syria, our sanctions causing death and destruction in Iran and Venezuela. Our over throw of a democratically elected, indigenous leader implementing social protection in Bolivia.
> 
> Our sanctions and interventions attempting to destroy Venezuela have failed, but we never give up do we?
> 
> I've left out the horrors implemented in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Chile, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, over the years, and I must not forget North Korea or Indonesia.
> 
> Let's look at cleaning our own house which is filthy, decaying and has been for many years.
> 

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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 24 16:21:42 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen)
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2020 08:21:42 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Fwd: Bulldog Mine, Middle Fork Update, and More ...
References: <261b07c64565409284ccd8ba8dafa618@ecojusticecollaborative.org>
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB287546B045E6724DEB321C0DA3EC0@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>



> 
> 
>  
>  <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/ch2VSzaUhHYQ9JGiBJm2MZFztDhKN7Z7ezuLGA05r8I=>
>  
> Let's Stop the Bulldog Mine! 
>  ACT NOW! ?SIGN THE PETITION? <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/C3qe1W5x5Egb-BpbGZcL7uQqXJL-zBNHYAbiCo4nrZE=>
>  
> Beginning in 2008, Sunrise Coal quietly knocked on doors to buy up mineral rights under 23,000 acres of prime farmland for their proposed underground coal mine. Since then, Stand Up to Coal <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/xSeJTjCAtHZ_P09jZUSj-ZccngTIhWqwrQnP9mqmyO4=>, a committed group of residents and farmers, has been working to stop this mine. They have held informational meetings and participated in public hearings to voice their concerns. They know about the many environmental and community impacts that could occur from the operation of this mine, including: farmland subsidence; heavy water use; coal dust pollution; impacts to roads; falling land values; and possible pollution of the scenic Salt Fork River <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/aBXRMuz5plaLgN9IVUg-hbhGCJUdOSw1sM0RVIh_ah0=>.
>  
> Unfortunately, in April of 2019, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR granted the mine permit <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/f2vDsex0QI5hkD9AtBc7BM1NSNBa_j6kpTaQHj27Nqk=>.  Subsequently, members of Stand Up to Coal filed a petition for an administrative review. This hearing is expected to take place in Springfield THIS Thursday, February 27th, 2020, and may be their last opportunity to challenge the permit. They need your help. 
> Come to Springfield to stand in solidarity against the proposed Bulldog Mine! A press conference is planned at the Capitol at 11am. It will be followed by the administrative hearing at 1:30pm, which is expected to end by 3pm. Unfortunately, there will not be an opportunity for public comment. Watch this page <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/6rHIazVH5LlAYrOCeFGFNIxbm7Z-1gr0shSV-FV28PA=?active_tab=about> for details on room numbers for the press conference and hearing, and for updates. It is possible the date may be moved to March.
> Sign this petition <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/C3qe1W5x5Egb-BpbGZcL7uQqXJL-zBNHYAbiCo4nrZE=> to show you are opposed to the mine! Signatures will be delivered to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
> Click here <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/jMWog8x27N7FjAGA1heudKq3LOCTko0N45kBaa4ITp0=> for more.
>  
>  
>  <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/zBbr42QwMq8bOuAqJ5aC32IqTrG42qGzT1f0TewnFA8=>
>  
> The Fight to Protect the Middle Fork is Not Over
> Are you wondering about the status of Dynegy's closure plan for its three coal ash pits along the west bank of the Middle Fork of the Vermilion? Or how the Coal Ash Pollution Prevention Act helps protect the Middle Fork? 
>  
> Come to this meeting <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/zBbr42QwMq8bOuAqJ5aC32IqTrG42qGzT1f0TewnFA8=> of the Middlefork Audubon Society on February 27, at 7pm, for answers to these questions, and learn what you can do to ensure Illinois' only National Scenic River is protected from coal ash pollution! The presentation will take place at the Danville Public library, This short update will be presented as part of the regularly-scheduled Middlefork Audubon Society (MAS) meeting. Be sure to stay for this month's MAS program!
>  
> 
>  
> March 4 Is Clean Energy Lobby Day at the Capitol!
> Momentum for the Clean Energy Jobs Act <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/BqpgOsqAfPJUYaJuzVq0t0fypToRtBjEuufr5J3hV6E=> is building! We must show Governor Pritzker and legislative leaders there is strong support behind the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA), in order to pass it this spring. 
>  
> The bill will:
> Move us to 100% renewable energy by 2050; 
> Cut carbon from the power sector by 2030;
> 
> Reduce gas and diesel vehicles from the transportation sector by electrifying the transportation system; and
> 
> Create jobs and economic opportunity.  
> 
> ?Passing CEJAl would be a BIG win for Illinois families, new businesses, and our climate!
> 
> Registration is required <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/GDOBohouDBHsv3FRXRrLcZRnxbfnwS7YVwc9A-_SMFM=?fbclid=IwAR3DLLY_oY0fmvwM84PTTSFHCYCOgdO2kaaIAT6utADIsH9lwGiv-0qAOZI> so there are enough information packets available and you can be assigned to a group and group leader, who will set up appointments.  When registering, you can opt to take the free bus from designated locations that will take you to and from Springfield. This is the best way to get updates on the bill and learn how to talk with your senator or representative.  
>  
> Questions? Call Pam: 773.556.3418.
>  
>  <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/BRttAva3HHPAhLH6aerdmzpWyPqAolr1dQ8qNgl7JQ8=>
> Eco-Justice Collaborative
> 919 W. University Avenue
> Champaign IL 61821 United States
> 
>  
> 

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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 24 16:21:42 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen)
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2020 08:21:42 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Fwd: Bulldog Mine, Middle Fork Update, and More ...
References: <261b07c64565409284ccd8ba8dafa618@ecojusticecollaborative.org>
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB287546B045E6724DEB321C0DA3EC0@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>



> 
> 
>  
>  <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/ch2VSzaUhHYQ9JGiBJm2MZFztDhKN7Z7ezuLGA05r8I=>
>  
> Let's Stop the Bulldog Mine! 
>  ACT NOW! ?SIGN THE PETITION? <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/C3qe1W5x5Egb-BpbGZcL7uQqXJL-zBNHYAbiCo4nrZE=>
>  
> Beginning in 2008, Sunrise Coal quietly knocked on doors to buy up mineral rights under 23,000 acres of prime farmland for their proposed underground coal mine. Since then, Stand Up to Coal <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/xSeJTjCAtHZ_P09jZUSj-ZccngTIhWqwrQnP9mqmyO4=>, a committed group of residents and farmers, has been working to stop this mine. They have held informational meetings and participated in public hearings to voice their concerns. They know about the many environmental and community impacts that could occur from the operation of this mine, including: farmland subsidence; heavy water use; coal dust pollution; impacts to roads; falling land values; and possible pollution of the scenic Salt Fork River <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/aBXRMuz5plaLgN9IVUg-hbhGCJUdOSw1sM0RVIh_ah0=>.
>  
> Unfortunately, in April of 2019, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR granted the mine permit <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/f2vDsex0QI5hkD9AtBc7BM1NSNBa_j6kpTaQHj27Nqk=>.  Subsequently, members of Stand Up to Coal filed a petition for an administrative review. This hearing is expected to take place in Springfield THIS Thursday, February 27th, 2020, and may be their last opportunity to challenge the permit. They need your help. 
> Come to Springfield to stand in solidarity against the proposed Bulldog Mine! A press conference is planned at the Capitol at 11am. It will be followed by the administrative hearing at 1:30pm, which is expected to end by 3pm. Unfortunately, there will not be an opportunity for public comment. Watch this page <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/6rHIazVH5LlAYrOCeFGFNIxbm7Z-1gr0shSV-FV28PA=?active_tab=about> for details on room numbers for the press conference and hearing, and for updates. It is possible the date may be moved to March.
> Sign this petition <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/C3qe1W5x5Egb-BpbGZcL7uQqXJL-zBNHYAbiCo4nrZE=> to show you are opposed to the mine! Signatures will be delivered to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
> Click here <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/jMWog8x27N7FjAGA1heudKq3LOCTko0N45kBaa4ITp0=> for more.
>  
>  
>  <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/zBbr42QwMq8bOuAqJ5aC32IqTrG42qGzT1f0TewnFA8=>
>  
> The Fight to Protect the Middle Fork is Not Over
> Are you wondering about the status of Dynegy's closure plan for its three coal ash pits along the west bank of the Middle Fork of the Vermilion? Or how the Coal Ash Pollution Prevention Act helps protect the Middle Fork? 
>  
> Come to this meeting <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/zBbr42QwMq8bOuAqJ5aC32IqTrG42qGzT1f0TewnFA8=> of the Middlefork Audubon Society on February 27, at 7pm, for answers to these questions, and learn what you can do to ensure Illinois' only National Scenic River is protected from coal ash pollution! The presentation will take place at the Danville Public library, This short update will be presented as part of the regularly-scheduled Middlefork Audubon Society (MAS) meeting. Be sure to stay for this month's MAS program!
>  
> 
>  
> March 4 Is Clean Energy Lobby Day at the Capitol!
> Momentum for the Clean Energy Jobs Act <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/BqpgOsqAfPJUYaJuzVq0t0fypToRtBjEuufr5J3hV6E=> is building! We must show Governor Pritzker and legislative leaders there is strong support behind the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA), in order to pass it this spring. 
>  
> The bill will:
> Move us to 100% renewable energy by 2050; 
> Cut carbon from the power sector by 2030;
> 
> Reduce gas and diesel vehicles from the transportation sector by electrifying the transportation system; and
> 
> Create jobs and economic opportunity.  
> 
> ?Passing CEJAl would be a BIG win for Illinois families, new businesses, and our climate!
> 
> Registration is required <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/GDOBohouDBHsv3FRXRrLcZRnxbfnwS7YVwc9A-_SMFM=?fbclid=IwAR3DLLY_oY0fmvwM84PTTSFHCYCOgdO2kaaIAT6utADIsH9lwGiv-0qAOZI> so there are enough information packets available and you can be assigned to a group and group leader, who will set up appointments.  When registering, you can opt to take the free bus from designated locations that will take you to and from Springfield. This is the best way to get updates on the bill and learn how to talk with your senator or representative.  
>  
> Questions? Call Pam: 773.556.3418.
>  
>  <https://act.myngp.com/el/5ik0kE3TA-DUH9k52Z0vu_8WidLSwzE8ljnN3b0ixj8=/BRttAva3HHPAhLH6aerdmzpWyPqAolr1dQ8qNgl7JQ8=>
> Eco-Justice Collaborative
> 919 W. University Avenue
> Champaign IL 61821 United States
> 
>  
> 

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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 24 16:33:02 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2020 08:33:02 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Pentagon requested Budget 2021,
 to take on Russia & China......
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB28755BA151584ED6CF0E5944A3EC0@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

https://www.mintpressnews.com/2021-pentagon-budget-request-russia-china/265124/?fbclid=IwAR0mN9uMwqGUyXaOoCNqeMO5v65pmU1cJKCU8vv <https://www.mintpressnews.com/2021-pentagon-budget-request-russia-china/265124/?fbclid=IwAR0mN9uMwqGUyXaOoCNqeMO5v65pmU1cJKCU8vv>
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Mon Feb 24 16:33:02 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2020 08:33:02 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Pentagon requested Budget 2021,
 to take on Russia & China......
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB28755BA151584ED6CF0E5944A3EC0@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

https://www.mintpressnews.com/2021-pentagon-budget-request-russia-china/265124/?fbclid=IwAR0mN9uMwqGUyXaOoCNqeMO5v65pmU1cJKCU8vv <https://www.mintpressnews.com/2021-pentagon-budget-request-russia-china/265124/?fbclid=IwAR0mN9uMwqGUyXaOoCNqeMO5v65pmU1cJKCU8vv>
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From davidjohnson1451 at comcast.net  Mon Feb 24 17:22:28 2020
From: davidjohnson1451 at comcast.net (David Johnson)
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2020 11:22:28 -0600
Subject: [Peace] Fwd: My reaction to those Americans constantly posting
 anti-Chinese propaganda
In-Reply-To: <DM6PR13MB28757219A1E40B13AFAA373FA3EC0@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
References: <DM6PR13MB2875680F15C93F18C3930974A3EC0@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
 <DM6PR13MB28757219A1E40B13AFAA373FA3EC0@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <00e601d5eb36$fdb1d8b0$f9158a10$@comcast.net>

Great statement Karen !

 

David J.

 

From: Peace [mailto:peace-bounces at lists.chambana.net] On Behalf Of Karen via Peace
Sent: Monday, February 24, 2020 10:20 AM
To: peace; Peace
Subject: [Peace] Fwd: My reaction to those Americans constantly posting anti-Chinese propaganda

 

Americans are like the serial killer, who when captured points his finger at the guy across the street and screams, ?Look at him he yells at his wife sometimes."





Those receiving their news from mainstream media, are sure anything Chinese is bad. A simple reason is all that building and development with the BRI, linking nations, cutting costs of goods and services, the forgiveness of debt and interest free loans to some African nations, makes us look bad and we can't compete with our US foreign policy of death and destruction for those in the Middle East. A deeper reason is US foreign policy of containment of Russia, and eventual control of China, which likely means war.

In the meantime, upcoming is the Sahel region of Africa with our military bases occupying all fifty four nations. The total destruction of Libya with its accompanying slavery, the death and destruction of millions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Syria, our sanctions causing death and destruction in Iran and Venezuela. Our over throw of a democratically elected, indigenous leader implementing social protection in Bolivia.

Our sanctions and interventions attempting to destroy Venezuela have failed, but we never give up do we?

I've left out the horrors implemented in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Chile, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, over the years, and I must not forget North Korea or Indonesia.

Let's look at cleaning our own house which is filthy, decaying and has been for many years.

 

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From brussel at illinois.edu  Mon Feb 24 21:41:35 2020
From: brussel at illinois.edu (Brussel, Morton K)
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2020 21:41:35 +0000
Subject: [Peace] [Peace-discuss] Astonishing
In-Reply-To: <62C69F2F-F909-42D3-A3AB-DB1D3448458D@newsfromneptune.com>
References: <62C69F2F-F909-42D3-A3AB-DB1D3448458D@newsfromneptune.com>
Message-ID: <96635CEC-7D16-4ABB-8005-F7BDC33E5B8B@illinois.edu>

Gee, maybe I should start paying attention to Fox News?

> On Feb 24, 2020, at 5:47 AM, C. G. Estabrook via Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
> 
> https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/tucker-carlson-russia-isnt-attacking-our-democratic-system-our-own-ruling-class-is
> 
> ...On MSNBC, host Lawrence O?Donnell said: ?The president is a Russian operative. That sounds like the description of a bad Hollywood screenplay, but it is real. And it is Vladimir Putin's greatest achievement. This is one of those shocking news days if you retain the capacity to be shocked in the Trump era by the Trump regime, which might be better labeled the Trump-Putin regime.?
> 
> ...[Brian] Williams said on his show on MSNBC: ?We begin tonight with sad word that funeral services are pending this evening after the death of outrage earlier today ? outrage officially died of exhaustion though buoyed at the very end by the one bright spot, the realization that its close relative, apathy survives and is thriving.?
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Peace-discuss mailing list
> Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace-discuss


From carl at newsfromneptune.com  Wed Feb 26 22:13:44 2020
From: carl at newsfromneptune.com (C. G. Estabrook)
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2020 16:13:44 -0600
Subject: [Peace] [Peace-discuss] Stefanie Smith candidate interview
In-Reply-To: <001501d5ecae$a30b7780$e9226680$@comcast.net>
References: <1582670579374.68502@urbanaillinois.us>
 <001501d5ecae$a30b7780$e9226680$@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <320DD1B8-54E7-4537-9EE3-48F0FCA9AF0F@newsfromneptune.com>

If her opponent wins the primary, I won?t vote for the Democrat in the general election.


> On Feb 26, 2020, at 8:11 AM, David Johnson via Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> Stefanie Smith - candidate for U.S. Congress Illinois 13th District in the
> Democratic primary election.
> 
> Here's the interview with Stefanie Smith on Labor's World View TV / Urbana
> Public Television -
> 
> https://youtu.be/lj4ButD-Crw 
> 
> 
> This video will run this Sunday at 4:00PM on UPTV. Comcast channel 6 and at
> ; www.urbanapublictelevision.org 
> 
> Stefanie Smith supports ; Medicare for All / Free post high school education
> and student debt forgiveness / National $ 15 per hour minimum wage /
> Withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria / Repeal of
> the job destroying NAFTA 2.0 ( USMCA ) corporate trade treaty / Repeal of
> the anti-union Taft Hartley Act and enactment of Card Check Unionization
> rights / Green New Deal
> 
> Her opponent does NOT support ANY of the above.
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Peace-discuss mailing list
> Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace-discuss
> 


From karenaram at hotmail.com  Wed Feb 26 23:44:23 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen)
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2020 15:44:23 -0800
Subject: [Peace] [Peace-discuss] Stefanie Smith candidate interview
In-Reply-To: <320DD1B8-54E7-4537-9EE3-48F0FCA9AF0F@newsfromneptune.com>
References: <1582670579374.68502@urbanaillinois.us>
 <001501d5ecae$a30b7780$e9226680$@comcast.net>
 <320DD1B8-54E7-4537-9EE3-48F0FCA9AF0F@newsfromneptune.com>
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB2875CC0C5C8BCA0E303158B6A3EA0@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

I won?t vote for anyone but Stephanie, that includes the Republican the Democrats are opposing. 


> On Feb 26, 2020, at 14:13, C. G. Estabrook via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
> 
> If her opponent wins the primary, I won?t vote for the Democrat in the general election.
> 
> 
>> On Feb 26, 2020, at 8:11 AM, David Johnson via Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> Stefanie Smith - candidate for U.S. Congress Illinois 13th District in the
>> Democratic primary election.
>> 
>> Here's the interview with Stefanie Smith on Labor's World View TV / Urbana
>> Public Television -
>> 
>> https://youtu.be/lj4ButD-Crw 
>> 
>> 
>> This video will run this Sunday at 4:00PM on UPTV. Comcast channel 6 and at
>> ; www.urbanapublictelevision.org 
>> 
>> Stefanie Smith supports ; Medicare for All / Free post high school education
>> and student debt forgiveness / National $ 15 per hour minimum wage /
>> Withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria / Repeal of
>> the job destroying NAFTA 2.0 ( USMCA ) corporate trade treaty / Repeal of
>> the anti-union Taft Hartley Act and enactment of Card Check Unionization
>> rights / Green New Deal
>> 
>> Her opponent does NOT support ANY of the above.
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Peace-discuss mailing list
>> Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
>> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace-discuss
>> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Peace mailing list
> Peace at lists.chambana.net
> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace


From davidjohnson1451 at comcast.net  Wed Feb 26 23:45:29 2020
From: davidjohnson1451 at comcast.net (David Johnson)
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2020 17:45:29 -0600
Subject: [Peace] [Peace-discuss] Stefanie Smith candidate interview
In-Reply-To: <320DD1B8-54E7-4537-9EE3-48F0FCA9AF0F@newsfromneptune.com>
References: <1582670579374.68502@urbanaillinois.us>
 <001501d5ecae$a30b7780$e9226680$@comcast.net>
 <320DD1B8-54E7-4537-9EE3-48F0FCA9AF0F@newsfromneptune.com>
Message-ID: <008301d5ecfe$d418c8a0$7c4a59e0$@comcast.net>

Neither will I Carl,

Just like in 2018.

David J.

-----Original Message-----
From: C. G. Estabrook [mailto:carl at newsfromneptune.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2020 4:14 PM
To: David Johnson
Cc: Peace
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Stefanie Smith candidate interview

If her opponent wins the primary, I won?t vote for the Democrat in the general election.


> On Feb 26, 2020, at 8:11 AM, David Johnson via Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> Stefanie Smith - candidate for U.S. Congress Illinois 13th District in the
> Democratic primary election.
> 
> Here's the interview with Stefanie Smith on Labor's World View TV / Urbana
> Public Television -
> 
> https://youtu.be/lj4ButD-Crw 
> 
> 
> This video will run this Sunday at 4:00PM on UPTV. Comcast channel 6 and at
> ; www.urbanapublictelevision.org 
> 
> Stefanie Smith supports ; Medicare for All / Free post high school education
> and student debt forgiveness / National $ 15 per hour minimum wage /
> Withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria / Repeal of
> the job destroying NAFTA 2.0 ( USMCA ) corporate trade treaty / Repeal of
> the anti-union Taft Hartley Act and enactment of Card Check Unionization
> rights / Green New Deal
> 
> Her opponent does NOT support ANY of the above.
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Peace-discuss mailing list
> Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace-discuss
> 



From moboct1 at aim.com  Thu Feb 27 12:46:46 2020
From: moboct1 at aim.com (Mildred O'brien)
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2020 12:46:46 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: [Peace] [Peace-discuss] Stefanie Smith candidate interview
In-Reply-To: <320DD1B8-54E7-4537-9EE3-48F0FCA9AF0F@newsfromneptune.com>
References: <1582670579374.68502@urbanaillinois.us>
 <001501d5ecae$a30b7780$e9226680$@comcast.net>
 <320DD1B8-54E7-4537-9EE3-48F0FCA9AF0F@newsfromneptune.com>
Message-ID: <1479772022.2657554.1582807606604@mail.yahoo.com>


#ME, TOO!

-----Original Message-----
From: C. G. Estabrook via Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
To: David Johnson <davidjohnson1451 at comcast.net>
Cc: Peace <peace at anti-war.net>
Sent: Wed, Feb 26, 2020 4:14 pm
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Stefanie Smith candidate interview

If her opponent wins the primary, I won?t vote for the Democrat in the general election.


> On Feb 26, 2020, at 8:11 AM, David Johnson via Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> Stefanie Smith - candidate for U.S. Congress Illinois 13th District in the
> Democratic primary election.
> 
> Here's the interview with Stefanie Smith on Labor's World View TV / Urbana
> Public Television -
> 
> https://youtu.be/lj4ButD-Crw 
> 
> 
> This video will run this Sunday at 4:00PM on UPTV. Comcast channel 6 and at
> ; www.urbanapublictelevision.org 
> 
> Stefanie Smith supports ; Medicare for All / Free post high school education
> and student debt forgiveness / National $ 15 per hour minimum wage /
> Withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria / Repeal of
> the job destroying NAFTA 2.0 ( USMCA ) corporate trade treaty / Repeal of
> the anti-union Taft Hartley Act and enactment of Card Check Unionization
> rights / Green New Deal
> 
> Her opponent does NOT support ANY of the above.
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Peace-discuss mailing list
> Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace-discuss
> 

_______________________________________________
Peace-discuss mailing list
Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace-discuss
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Thu Feb 27 22:25:21 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2020 14:25:21 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Glen Ford of the Black Agenda Report: On war
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB2875A980D0E4E5D719373693A3EB0@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

https://blackagendareport.com/black-america-endless-war-and-evil-genius-russiagate?fbclid=IwAR2HPuaWYN3k7D3T7LCrzK7DuW_D-xw7ZGKG8lmw2D-x <https://blackagendareport.com/black-america-endless-war-and-evil-genius-russiagate?fbclid=IwAR2HPuaWYN3k7D3T7LCrzK7DuW_D-xw7ZGKG8lmw2D-x>
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From karenaram at hotmail.com  Thu Feb 27 22:25:21 2020
From: karenaram at hotmail.com (Karen Aram)
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2020 14:25:21 -0800
Subject: [Peace] Glen Ford of the Black Agenda Report: On war
Message-ID: <DM6PR13MB2875A980D0E4E5D719373693A3EB0@DM6PR13MB2875.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

https://blackagendareport.com/black-america-endless-war-and-evil-genius-russiagate?fbclid=IwAR2HPuaWYN3k7D3T7LCrzK7DuW_D-xw7ZGKG8lmw2D-x <https://blackagendareport.com/black-america-endless-war-and-evil-genius-russiagate?fbclid=IwAR2HPuaWYN3k7D3T7LCrzK7DuW_D-xw7ZGKG8lmw2D-x>
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From jbn at forestfield.org  Thu Feb 27 23:40:59 2020
From: jbn at forestfield.org (J.B. Nicholson)
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2020 17:40:59 -0600
Subject: [Peace] Notes
Message-ID: <91f9635e-20d6-621e-2e42-b01c65e5fab9@forestfield.org>

Have a good show, guys. I've sent you some other pointers and my own views on things, 
and there are other older notes you can draw on if needed. So this will be a short 
set of notes to inspire some discussion for you.

-J



Health care: Study shows that universal health care saves Americans $500 billion; 
Obamacare (aka "The Affordable Health Care Act of 2010") is not helping.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeW2eFaldSY -- "Redacted Tonight" is one of the few 
sources pointing to this study (no doubt because the study's conclusions simply do 
not echo establishment talking points).

The Economist in 
https://www.economist.com/special-report/2018/04/26/america-is-a-health-care-outlier-in-the-developed-world 
tells us:

> Despite the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, America remains an outlier
> in health-care provision. It has some of the best hospitals in the world, but it
> is also the only large rich country without universal health coverage. And
> health-care costs can be financially ruinous.

And we spend money on bad outcomes and do so for eminently understandable reasons 
which are directly tied to rampant poverty, as the Washington Post told us in an 
article titled "American babies are 76 percent more likely to die in their first year 
than babies in other rich countries" 
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/01/09/american-babies-are-76-percent-more-likely-to-die-in-their-first-year-than-babies-in-other-rich-countries/ 


> American babies are 76 percent more likely to die before they turn a year old than
> babies in other rich countries, and American children who survive infancy are 57
> percent more likely to die before adulthood, according to a sobering new study
> published in the journal Health Affairs.
> 
> Comparing the United States to 19 other wealthy democracies in the Organization
> for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the study found if the United
> States had simply kept pace with average childhood mortality rates in those
> countries, 600,000 young lives could have been saved since 1961. That amounts to
> roughly 20,000 dead children and teens each year.
> 
> As the charts above show, in the 1960s the United States had significantly lower
> child mortality rates than the other rich countries included in the study. But
> starting in the 1970s, that changed.
> 
> Among infants, that shift was driven primarily by changes in our premature
> birthrate (babies born before full gestational age), which is the highest in the
> developed world. Our rate of ?extreme? prematurity ? babies born before 25 weeks ?
> is three times higher than the OECD average.
> 
> Among older children, the United Stands stands out on our rate of deaths by
> injury. In particular, Americans teens age 15 to 19 are 82 times more likely than
> teens in other rich countries to die of a gun homicide. Among black American
> adolescents, gun homicides are the leading cause of death in the United States.
> 
> The root cause of all these problems is well understood: ?Persistently high
> poverty rates, poor educational outcomes, and a relatively weak social safety net
> have made the U.S. the most dangerous of wealthy nations for a child to be born
> into,? the study, led by Ashish Thakrar, an internal medicine resident at the
> Johns Hopkins Hospital, concludes.

[...]

> Those 600,000 deaths, in other words, are largely the result of deliberate policy
> choices made by American voters and their elected representatives.
> 
> A 2010 study found governing decisions about welfare policies explained up to 47
> percent of the observed differences in life expectancy between countries. An
> earlier study found about 20 percent of country-level differences in infant
> mortality rates could be explained by a nation's governing style.

CNN reports comparably -- "Among 20 wealthy nations, US child mortality ranks worst, 
study finds" in 
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/08/health/child-mortality-rates-by-country-study-intl/

And the money we spend is not well-used: A 2017 article titled "Public health and the 
economy could be served by reallocating medical expenditures to social programs" says

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352827316300970

> As much as 30% of US health care spending in the United States does not improve
> individual or population health. To a large extent this excess spending results
> from prices that are too high and from administrative waste. In the public sector,
> and particularly at the state level, where budget constraints are severe and
> reluctance to raise taxes high, this spending crowds out social, educational, and
> public-health investments. Over time, as spending on medical care increases,
> spending on improvements to the social determinants of health are starved.

Which brings us to the study from February 15, 2020 in The Lancet which says:

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)33019-3/fulltext

> Taking into account both the costs of coverage expansion and the savings that
> would be achieved through the Medicare for All Act, we calculate that a
> single-payer, universal health-care system is likely to lead to a 13% savings in
> national health-care expenditure, equivalent to more than US$450 billion annually
> (based on the value of the US$ in 2017). The entire system could be funded with
> less financial outlay than is incurred by employers and households paying for
> health-care premiums combined with existing government allocations. This shift to
> single-payer health care would provide the greatest relief to lower-income
> households. Furthermore, we estimate that ensuring health-care access for all
> Americans would save more than 68?000 lives and 1?73 million life-years every year
> compared with the status quo.






Assange hearing: Most media won't cover this or they repeat US talking points. RT 
covers the pro-Assange protests, the reports from people who were at each day of the 
ongoing hearings, reports from experts on the legal and health implications for 
Assange, and raising important questions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxNgQI6kzgs -- "Imperialism on Trial" talks from 
Craig Murray, George Galloway, Joti Brar, Joe Lauria, Peter Lavelle, Alexander 
Mercouris, Eva Bartlett, and more. 3 hours 12 minutes. Highly recommended viewing and 
Mercouris in particular does not leave out Chelsea Manning who continues to suffer in 
indefinite detention for not giving evidence against Assange or WikiLeaks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cge5cEhZhQ -- interview with George Galloway 
regarding the US plot to murder or kidnap Julian Assange.

https://www.rt.com/uk/481657-wikileaks-barred-extradition-assange-abuse/ -- "UK 
inexplicably bars WikiLeaks editor from extradition hearing day after Assange 
handcuffed 11 times & STRIPPED twice", interview with WikiLeaks Editor-in-Chief 
Kristinn Hrafnsson asking "Why aren't we talking about U.S. war crimes in court?".

Essays on Assange's imprisonment, hearing, and related establishment repeaters 
published by RT:

https://on.rt.com/absu -- Nebojsa Malic on "Freedom for me but not for Assange (or 
thee): The breathtaking hypocrisy of CNN?s Christiane Amanpour". See the attached 
screenshot for an interesting response to Christiane Amanpour's tweet claiming "Let?s 
have our own ?NATO Article 5?: an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us." 
which shows all of her tweets about the journalist most severely threatened by the 
Trump administration:

> Assange should not be given any credibility, say America's Director of National
> Intelligence and NSA Director.
> 
> Wikileaks founder Julian Assange motivated by personal grievances, @alexgibneyfilm
> tells me
> 
> Wikileaks founder Julian Assange speaks to #ABCNews Watch it here [...]

https://on.rt.com/abrz -- RT on "?Fair trial threatened? as judge rejects Assange 
request to sit with lawyers: Day 4 of US extradition hearing as it played out"

https://on.rt.com/abrn -- "Julian Assange is the victim of a power struggle in the US 
between Donald Trump and the deep state"

https://on.rt.com/abpy -- "Assange extradition hearing is Damocles sword over 
journalists? heads. But UK mainstream media participate in his crucifixion"

https://www.rt.com/search?q=assange+extradition -- reload this page to keep up with 
more stories from RT as they're published.


-J
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From carl at newsfromneptune.com  Sat Feb 29 15:47:55 2020
From: carl at newsfromneptune.com (C. G. Estabrook)
Date: Sat, 29 Feb 2020 09:47:55 -0600
Subject: [Peace] US/Russian weaponry
Message-ID: <789241D3-DBD8-44BF-8F02-142AF6C585A4@newsfromneptune.com>

https://lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v42/n05/andrew-cockburn/like-a-ball-of-fire

From jbw292002 at gmail.com  Sat Feb 29 22:55:43 2020
From: jbw292002 at gmail.com (John W.)
Date: Sat, 29 Feb 2020 16:55:43 -0600
Subject: [Peace] US/Russian weaponry
In-Reply-To: <789241D3-DBD8-44BF-8F02-142AF6C585A4@newsfromneptune.com>
References: <789241D3-DBD8-44BF-8F02-142AF6C585A4@newsfromneptune.com>
Message-ID: <CAPnrEOXstGgjoxZepX7o2L9qsFM0n-VpyoyeNHxy2BaxLL8tPQ@mail.gmail.com>

That was quite informative, Carl.  Thank you.


On Sat, Feb 29, 2020 at 9:48 AM C. G. Estabrook via Peace <
peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:

https://lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v42/n05/andrew-cockburn/like-a-ball-of-fire
>
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