Daily News Digest January 29, 2024
Images of the Day:
Our Finest Legal Minds Weigh a Vexing Constitutional Controversy
Bendib: Tweedeldum vs. Tweedeldee?
Since World War I, ‘the war to end all wars’, there have been perpetual wars for perpetual peace, this Laura Gray’s cartoon from the front page of The Militant August 18, 1945, Under the Banner Headline: “There Is No Peace”
Capitalism as a Failed System: World Capitalism Has Been Aware of the Comming Catastrophe of Global Warming Over 5 Decades Ago and Did Nothing!: Under Capitalism — Human Lives Don’t Matter Capitalism Does Not, and Never Has, Worked for the Masses! In Its Death Agony, Capitalism Is Traveling About The World Like The Four Horsemen of the The Apocalypse, Spreading Racism, War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death. The very future of Humanity Is Now At stake!
During This Economic Crisis, Capitalism’s Three-Point Political Program: Austerity, Scapegoat Blacks, Minorities, and ‘Illegal’ Immigrants for Unemployment, andThe Iron Heel! For Decades, Blacks Have Been Subjected to The Iron Heel! Currently, the US Capitalist Class is Divided Over When — Not If, to Apply It to Everyone! Due to Years of Austerity, Cuts to Public Health Care, And An Anti-Science and Profiteering President, The United States Now Leads the World In Coronavirus Cases and Deaths in the World!
Always Remember: That President Obama, With a Majority Democrat Legislature Supported the Wall Street Bailout and Remember, That he Established, in writing, the United States Capitalist Austerity Program. — The Race to the Bottom/Pauperization of the 99%!
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 1%, Who Profit From Austerity!! Under Austerity, All of the World Will Eventually Be Pauperized, Humbled, and Desecrated Like Greece and Puerto Rico.! Socialism Means True Democracy, that the 99% Will Rule, Not the Few!
Quotes of the Day:
The $Trillions Sent to Pentageon is Unaccounted For, But the Gavenment Keeps Fuuding the Military Industrial Complex Robber Barons!: Federal law since the early 1990s requires mandatory audits for all government agencies. The Pentagon didn’t begin auditing itself until 2018 and has only had incremental improvement yearly. This time around, 1,600 auditors combed through DOD’s $3.8 trillion in assets and $4 trillion in liabilities, conducting some 700 site visits. They found that half of DOD’s assets can’t be accounted for. — Pentagon Fails Sixth Audit in a Row
“I have been struggling and struggling to find words that are adequate for the moment that we find ourselves in,” Alexander said. “We are gathered here at the beginning of 2024, a year that just might change everything. Of course, everything is always changing. And impermanence is the way of life. Philosophers, theologians and poets have reminded us for centuries, the only constant is change.” Alexander also spoke about the ongoing violence in Israel and Palestine, saying she felt horrified by Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and the U.S. government’s support for it. “Something new is in the air,” Alexander said. “Some would say it is the stench of death. That we can smell it now, almost taste it. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in just a few months, with our bombings. Massacred, funded by our government, aided and abetted by our military, paid for by our tax dollars.”. . . “Something new is in the air,” Alexander said. “Some would say it is the stench of death. That we can smell it now, almost taste it. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in just a few months, with our bombings. Massacred, funded by our government, aided and abetted by our military, paid for by our tax dollars.” . . . Alexander ended the panel by encouraging young people to leverage their skills and passions to engage in social justice advocacy. — Michelle Alexander Speaks at 38th Annual MLK Anniversary Symposium
Videos of the Day:
Michelle Alexander: Locked Out of the American Dream
Chris Hedges: The Death of Israel
United States:
The United States is not a Democracy (A government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly)! Only the 1%, through their ownership of the Republicrats and who profit from war and the war budget, vote for War and the war budget — A policy, which Gore Vidal called a Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace. — The 99% Should Decide On War — Not Just The 1% Who Profit From War! Under a Democracy, The 99% would have the right to vote on the policy of Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace! The United States takes from the poor and gives to the Rich. Tax the Rich! — They Can Afford ford To Pay! Both Parties Support U.S. Capitalism’s Wars! (The Only War the Democrats Opposed was the Civil War!)
We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both. — Louis D. Brandeis Quotes
The greatest purveyor of violence in the world today — my own government. MLK, Beyond Vietnam
Criticize Israel: Biden (‘I A a Zionist’)/The Empire Strikes Back! 
UN Court Decision: The Imperial United States/Biden Retaliates: While Dismissing ICJ Genocide Finding, US Cuts UNRWA Funds Over Israeli Allegations “How has the U.S. reacted to these allegations against UNRWA? It suspended funding,” said one British expert. “How has the U.S. reacted to the International Court of Justice ruling that there are plausible grounds that Israel is committing genocide? Nothing.” The Israeli government’s allegations that 12 employees of the United Nations Palestinian refugees agency were involved in Hamas’ October 7 attack pushed the United States to promptly halt funding for the organization on Friday—leading journalists and advocates to note that a top international court’s finding that Israel is “plausibly” committing a genocide in Gaza has not convinced the U.S. to stop arming the Israeli military.
Biden Cuts Off Life-saving Aid to Palestinians Based on Israeli Allegations Against UNRWA The State Department has paused funding for UNRWA after the Israeli government accused 12 employees of being involved in the October 7 attack. The State Department paused additional funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) after the Israeli government accused 12 UNRWA workers of being involved in the October 7 Hamas attack.
Study: Half of Renters Paid Unaffordable Rates in 2022, a Record High Since 2001, median rents have risen by 21 percent — while renters’ incomes have only increased by 2 percent. With soaring real estate and housing prices in recent years, housing affordability rates hit a record high in 2022, with half of renters qualifying as “cost-burdened,” new research finds. According to a report by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University published Thursday, there were a record 22.4 million households in which renters paid more than 30 percent of their income in 2022, which is the general standard for housing unaffordability employed by academics and the government. This is an increase of 3.2 percent since 2019, with 2 million more households being cost-burdened.
More Than Half of Americans Don’t Have Enough Savings to Cover $1,000 Expense More than one in five Americans have no emergency savings fund set up at all. Anew survey highlights how most Americans would be unable to use their savings in order to pay for an unexpected expense.
Campaign to Demonize Palestinian Advocacy Shows Cracks at Columbia and in Courts The double standards have become stark as leaders fail to condemn a chemical attack against a Columbia ceasefire rally.
U.S. Funded Palestinian Genocide:
The Chris Hedges Report: It May be Genocide, But it Won’t Be Stopped The ruling by the International Court of Justice was a legal victory for South Africa and the Palestinians, but it will not halt the slaughter. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) refused to implement the most crucial demand made by South African jurists: “the State of Israel shall immediately suspend its military operations in and against Gaza.” But at the same time, it delivered a devastating blow to the foundational myth of Israel. Israel, which paints itself as eternally persecuted, has been credibly accused of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Palestinians are the victims, not the perpetrators, of the “crime of crimes.” A people, once in need of protection from genocide, are now potentially committing it. The court’s ruling questions the very raison d’être of the “Jewish State” and challenges the impunity Israel has enjoyed since its founding 75 years ago.
- The ICJ ordered Israel to take six provisional measures to prevent acts of genocide, measures that will be very difficult if not impossible to fulfill if Israel continues its saturation bombing of Gaza and wholesale targeting of vital infrastructure.
- The court called on Israel “to prevent and punish the direct and public incitement to commit genocide.”
- It demanded Israel “take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance.”
- It ordered Israel to protect Palestinian civilians. It called on Israel to protect the some 50,000 women giving birthin Gaza.
- It ordered Israel to take “effective measures to prevent the destruction and ensure the preservation of evidence related to allegations of acts within the scope of Article II and Article III of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide against members of the Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip.”
International Court of Justice Rules That Israel Must Stop Killing Palestinians The International Court of Justice has ruled that Israel must cease its warmaking in Gaza — cease committing and inciting genocidal acts — and that the case charging Israel with genocide must proceed.
South Africa v Israel: ICJ Genocide Case Exposes Crisis of International Law In an order delivered today, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) decided by a large majority that it is “at least plausible” that Israel is committing genocidal acts in Gaza. The decision is a blow to Israel’s indignant propaganda that it is fighting to defend ‘democracy’ against Hamas. It also represents an embarrassment for Israel’s allies in the West, which have backed its invasion to the hilt. But it must be recognised that the measures ordered are little more than a slap on the wrist for Israel, and a reminder that it should keep its genocidal intentions out of the public eye.
List of United Nations Resolutions Concerning Israel The following is a list of United Nations resolutions concerning Israel. As of 2013, the State of Israel had been condemned in 45 resolutions by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Since the UNHRC’s creation in 2006, it has resolved almost as many resolutions condemning Israel alone than on issues for the rest of the world combined. The 45 resolutions comprised almost half (45.9%) of all country-specific resolutions passed by the UNHRC, not counting those under Agenda Item 10 (countries requiring technical assistance).[1] From 1967 to 1989, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted 131 Security Council resolutions directly addressing the Arab–Israeli conflict. In early UNSC practice, resolutions did not directly invoke Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. They made an explicit determination of a threat, breach of the peace, or act of aggression, and ordered an action in accordance with Article 39 or 40. UNSC Resolution 54 determined that a threat to peace existed within the meaning of Article 39 of the Charter, reiterated the need for a truce, and ordered a ceasefire pursuant to Article 40 of the Charter. Although the phrase “Acting under Chapter VII” was never mentioned as the basis for the action taken, the chapter’s authority was being used.[2]
‘Hague Shmague,’ Says Top Israeli Minister After ICJ Genocide Ruling The dismissive reaction by Itamar Ben-Gvir was described by one progressive critic as that of “a petulant, violent child.” Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was described as a “petulant child” on Friday after he reacted dismissively to the “historic” ruling by the International Court of Justice that determined it does have jurisdiction to hear the genocide charges against Israel brought by South Africa. “Hague schmauge,” Ben-Gvir posted to social media shortly after the ICJ ruling.
Israel’s Victory in Gaza turns Pyrrhic as a Majority of Youths and Democrats brand it Genocidal Israel is losing its campaign against Gaza not so much on the battlefield — though it is unclear that very many of its military goals have been accomplished — but in the court of public opinion. The Israeli far right has long ignored such PR setbacks, convinced that as long as the US government protects it at the United Nations, it retains impunity. The Biden administration cannot, however, veto public opinion. A new You.gov opinion poll finds that 34% of Americans believe Israel is committing a genocide against the Palestinians of Gaza. I can’t tell you what an incredible statistic this is. In previous decades polling generally found that most Americans had no sympathy whatsoever for the Palestinians, who might as well have been gum stuck to the soles of the boots of Israeli troops. These Americans are not just saying that the Israelis are oppressing the Palestinians (which most of them wouldn’t even have admitted 20 years ago). They’re saying that they think the Israelis are trying to wipe out the Palestinians of Gaza. Moreover, it isn’t just that a third of Americans believe there is an ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza. An absolute majority — 55% — of Americans aged 18 to 30 see it as a genocide. That isn’t a good sign for Israel’s future.’
Environment:
One of Many Ways to Begin to End Global Warming: Expose ‘Greenwashing’ — Tax the Polluters 100%! After World War II Rosa Luxenburg Coined the Slogan: ‘S0cialism or Barbaism’! Now the Slogan Should Be: ‘Ecosocialism or Ecocide’!
Latuff: Is 2024 a Turnaround Year?!
Air Pollution From Canadian Tar Sands Up to 6,300% Worse Than Industry Reports “In quantifying the astonishing and largely unreported levels,” said a Greenpeace campaigner, “these scientists have validated what downwind Indigenous communities have been saying for decades.” Aircraft measurements of pollutants over the Athabasca tar sands in Alberta, Canada show levels exceeding industry reports by 1,900% to more than 6,300%, scientists revealed Thursday, underscoring the need for humanity to rapidly phase out fossil fuels. While the Canadian government requires air quality monitoring around oil sands operations, industry figures focus on certain compounds. For this research, published Thursday in the journal Science, experts from Yale University and Environment and Climate Change Canada, a department of the Canadian government, accounted for a wider range of emissions.
Black Liberation/Civil Rights:
Labor:
Economy:
From Michael Robert’s Article China Versus the US:
The reality is that China is continuing to lead the world’s productive sectors, like manufacturing. China is now the world’s sole manufacturing superpower. Its production exceeds that of the nine next largest manufacturers combined. It took the US the better part of a century to rise to the top; China took about 15 or 20 years. In 1995 China had just 3% of world manufacturing exports, By 2020, its share had risen to 20%. Far from China being forced into a corner by the US ‘decoupling’ its investment into and demand for Chinese goods, the US is more dependent on Chinese exports than vice versa. 
World:
From Argentina: Hundreds of Thousands on the Streets on Nationwide Strike Against Milei’s Shock Plan: The working class demonstrated their willingness to fight and gave a taste of their power to turn the entire political situation on its head. In order to stop Milei’s austerity programme and defeat his ultra-reactionary government, the working class must lead the movement, with class independence from all capitalist parties and their state. Factory, workplace, school, and neighbourhood assemblies should be spurred and coordinated at the city, regional, and national level to build a perspective of workers’ political power and strike against the capitalists as one. All of the traditional methods of the working class should be employed, such as workplace occupations and direct democracy in assemblies. Only with these methods can we ensure that we have the correct tactics. In the face of constant degradation and hunger, the working class has no time to lose.
- Kick the bureaucracy out of the unions!
- No confidence in parliament and courts to stop Milei’s attacks!
- Build the struggle for workers’ power!
- For a worker’s government!
“The Working Class Must Take This Strike into Their Own Hands”: Two Socialist Congressmembers on the General Strike in Argentina Thousands will take the streets across Argentina in a national strike against far-right president Javier Milei’s attacks and austerity plans. Myriam Bregman and Christian Castillo, two leaders of the Party of Socialist Workers (PTS) and members of Congress discuss what’s at stake and the challenges ahead for the fight against the Far Right.
Education, and Welfare:
The government of the United States can pass laws in a few days to spend tens of trillions of dollars for war and the bailout of Wall Street and the bankers. Yet, those who, pass universal healthcare for themselves, but cannot spend even one trillion dollars for universal health for those who are ‘governed’! This is what is considered, by the powers to be, a democracy and part of the democratic way. — Roland Sheppard, Let the People Vote on Healthcare