Daily News Digest June 21, 2017

Daily News Digest Archives 

During This Economic Crisis, Capitalism’s Three Point Political Program:  1. Austerity, 2. Scapegoating Blacks, Minorities, and ‘Illegal Immigrants’ for Unemployment, and 3. The Iron Heel.

Daily News Digest June 21, 2017

Democracy?: As the Capitalist Robber Barons Steal from the 99% — Only the 1% Voted For Austerity — The 99% Should Decide On Austerity — Not Just The  Who Profit From Austerity!

Under Austerity, All of the World Will Eventually Be Pauperized, Humbled, and Desecrated Like Greece and Puerto Rico!

Images of the Day:

Stranded on an Iceberg

Quotes of the Day:

Nearly a third of the world’s population is now exposed to conditions that produce deadly heatwaves, as the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere makes it “almost inevitable” that vast areas of the planet will face rising fatalities from high temperatures, new research has found. Climate change has escalated the heatwave risk across the globe, the study states, with nearly half of the world’s population set to suffer periods of deadly heat by the end of the century even if greenhouse gases are radically cut. “For heatwaves, our options are now between bad or terrible,” said Camilo Mora, an academic at the University of Hawaii and lead author of the study. —  A third of the world now faces deadly heatwaves as result of climate change

The first civil and human rights movement by and for Black people started during the Civil War and the period of Black Reconstruction that followed. It was a time of radical hopes for many freed slaves. But it was also a time of betrayal. Then President Andrew Johnson and the non-radical Republicans, in collusion with the Democratic Party, the party of slavery, sold out the early post-war promises for full equality and “40 acres and a mule”. Instead, the promise of equality was soon replaced by the restoration of the property rights of the former slave owners in the South. This was accomplished by the Compromise of 1877 How did they accomplish this betrayal? The answer is simple—terrorism. They used police and terroristic Ku Klux Klan violence. These extra-legal activities laid the basis for the overthrow of Black Reconstruction and the institutionalization of legal segregation (Jim Crow) in the former slave states. To enforce Jim Crow, Black people were, for decades, indiscriminately lynched and framed. — Roland Sheppard, The Rise and Fall of the Civil Rights Movement

Videos of the Day:

Coastal Cities Unprepared for Major Floods As Sea Levels Rise The Trump Administration is making it even harder for coastal cities to defend themselves against increased flooding brought about by climate change, says Michael Oppenheimer, professor of Geosciences and International Affairs at Princeton University

Israel Secretly Aids Anti-Assad Forces in Syria Proxy War Beirut-based journalist Nour Samaha has uncovered extensive Israeli government support of anti-Assad forces in southern Syria

U.S.:

Why are the Supremes ‘Supreme’?

Supreme Court Delivers ‘Dangerous Message’: Immunity for Former Bush Officials Over 9/11 Detentions The U.S. Supreme Court said Monday that former George W. Bush officials cannot be held liable for the abuse and detention of a group of Muslim, South Asian, and Arab non-citizens swept up in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. “This decision regrettably provides constitutional immunity for some of the most high-level officials responsible for gross abuses in the aftermath of September 11,” stated Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU’s National Security Project.

Supreme Court Strikes Down Ban on Offensive Trademarks The Supreme Court on Monday struck down part of a law that bans offensive trademarks, ruling in favor of an Asian-American rock band called the Slants and giving a major boost to the Washington Redskins in their separate legal fight over the team name. By Sam Hananel

The Militarized Police State Opens Fire “It is often the case that police shootings, incidents where law enforcement officers pull the trigger on civilians, are left out of the conversation on gun violence. But a police officer shooting a civilian counts as gun violence. Every time an officer uses a gun against an innocent or an unarmed person contributes to the culture of gun violence in this country.” — Journalist Celisa Calacal by John W. Whitehead

The Best and Worst Countries to Be a Kid — The U.S. Isn’t Even In the Top 20 For 700 million kids around the world, childhood ends too soon. By April M. Short Black Liberation/Civil Rights:

Mass Incarceration, Prison Labor in the United States The Federal Prison Industries (FPI) under the brand UNICORE operates approximately 52 factories (prisons) across the United States. Prisoners manufacture or assemble a number of products for the US military, homeland security, and federal agencies according to the UNICORE/FPI website. They produce furniture, clothing and circuit boards in addition to providing computer aided design services and call center support for private companies. by John StantonThe Body Count Rises in the U.S. War Against Black People Before we can even process the acquittal of the murders of Philado Castile, we hear about another murder of a black person by the police occupation forces.  This time the victim, Charleena Lyles, is a black woman who was also five months pregnant. By Ajamu Baraka Environment:

The Weekly Reveal From the Center for Investigative Reporting: Big Oil’s climate crossroads, Man-made methane, America’s ring of fire

Ongoing Big Energy Crisis:

Labor:

 Economy:

Deloitte Audited the Fed for Eight Straight Years of the Financial Crash In 2006 the Federal Reserve’s books were audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers. But beginning in 2007 and for every year thereafter through 2014, the Fed’s books were audited by Deloitte & Touche. That’s a very long eight years that just happen to coincide with the greatest economic upheaval in the U.S. since the Great Depression. (Since 2015, KPMG has issued the annual audited statement of the Fed’s books.) By Pam Martens and Russ Martens

Tech Stocks Slammed Last Week: How Scary Is This Market? Mark this date on your calendar: Friday, June 9, 2017. That’s the date that the big downward move in the largest tech stocks began. The day also saw a rotation into big bank stocks (which is like swapping a land mine for a hand grenade — there’s going to be an explosion, it’s just a matter of degree). By Pam Martens and Russ MartensWorld:

 May on the ropes – Britain’s political turmoil intensifies Britain’s political turmoil has become entrenched. Ever since the general election – a mere week ago – Theresa May has been desperately fighting for her political survival. With each passing day, her political authority is being relentlessly drained away. In the last throw of the dice, she has turned to the sectarian DUP, a reactionary outfit, to haggle for support and a parliamentary lifeline. By Rob Sewell  A Tragic Inferno in London Reflects the Terrorism of the Global Free Market It is a truly terrifying thought but the Grenfell Action Group firmly believe that only a catastrophic event will expose the ineptitude and incompetence of our landlord, the KCTMO. — Grenfell Action Group Blogsite – November 2016 These people at the top who own the tower blocks, they’re far too focused on money, that’s the main thing. This is not the only place where this situation has happened. I know a lot of different people in different areas of London that have gone through regeneration and what not and it’s a joke. Imagine in Grenfell Tower they had the cheek to almost make people say thank you that we’re regenerating your block and then they didn’t put functional sprinklers in, or fire alarms, are you lost? by Stephen Martin

Jeremy Corbyn Wants to Requisition Homes of the Rich for Fire Survivors — Like Churchill Did in WW2 British Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has a bold proposal to house the survivors of a devastating fire at London’s Grenfell Tower apartment complex in empty luxury homes. YouGov polling found that Corbyn’s idea is popular among the British public, with 59 percent supporting it. Yet there has been a harsh backlash from the U.K.’s right-wing government and press, which equated his plan with a Marxist plot. “Suggesting requisitioning empty properties when empty student accommodation is available locally is completely in line with his Marxist belief that all private property should belong to the state,” Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen said. By Zaid Jilani

Major demonstration against ‘Theresa and the terrorists’ – July 1! A  A major national demonstration will take place in London on July 1 to get rid of “Theresa and the terrorists,”. The People’s Assembly called the demo, saying: “Street mobilisations are more important than ever” and can “create a crisis the Tories can’t recover from.” It comes a day after shadow chancellor John McDonnell called on Brits to “get out on the streets” to force another general election “as early as possible.”

Health, Science, Education, and Welfare:

Back to the Dark Ages

When Politicians Cherry-pick Data and Disregard Facts, What Should Academics Do? When politicians distort science, academics and scientists tend to watch in shock from the sidelines rather than speak out. But in an age of “fake news” and “alternative facts,” we need to step into the breach and inject scientific literacy into the political discourse. Nowhere is this obligation more vivid than the debate over climate change. Contrary to the consensus of scientific agencies worldwide, the president has called climate change a “hoax” (though his position may be shifting), while his EPA administrator has denied even the most basic link to carbon dioxide as a cause. It’s another sign that we, as a society, are drifting away from the use of scientific reasoning to inform public policy. And the outcome is clear: a misinformed voting public and the passage of policies to benefit special interests. By Andrew J. Hoffman Lead Poisoning, a Persistent Sign of Poverty, Is Linked to School Suspensions and Lower Student Test Scores New evidence that kids with higher exposure to lead are more likely to misbehave in school and do worse academically. By Rachel M. Cohen