Daily News Digest August 8, 2024
Images of the Day:
World Marks Full Year of Average Temperatures Above 1.5C Target
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”There is No Democracy! When Less Than 1% Control the Wealth, Production, and Price of Everything Produced and Consumed in the World! In the present period of unfettered Capitalism, the pretense of democratic rule does not exist, except in the minds of ‘socialists’ like Bernie Sanders and the Labor Bureaucracy! Capitalists view all struggles as struggles against capitalist rule! Transition demands immediately become revolutionary demands! Therefore, any resistence to the attack of capitalists has to be organized by those that understand this! 
Today, the United States Capitalists are Consolidating Themselves as the Supreme Capitalists! Capitalism’s Gluttony is Demonstrated by It’s Quest for More and More Profits at the Expense of Humanity! The Rise of Capitalism was Under the Banner of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity! Now There is Less Liberty, More Inequality, and Less Fraternity of Humanity! Every Day, From Global Warming to Global War There is a New Example of Capitalism in Imperialist Decay!
Capitalism as a Failed System: World Capitalism Has Been Aware of the Comming Catastrophe of Global Warming Over 6 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 Five Horsemen of the the Apocalypse, Spreading Racism, War, Famine, Pestilence, Death, and Misinformation! 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, and The 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! Globaly, With the Current Gaza War, The Right of Assembly is Under Attack! Due to Years of Austerity, Cuts to Public Health Care, And An Anti-Science and Profiteering President, The United States Still Leads the World In Coronavirus Cases and Deaths in the World!
The Majority of the World, Despite the Media Monopoly’s Lies, are Opposed to the Palestinian Genocide and Global Warming — The 1% Minority Funds Them! At, this Time in History, Capitalism is Exposing the Fact That it is Opposed to Majority Rule/Democracy!
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:
Friendly reminder that all injuries and deaths of US military personnel in the middle east are always the fault of the Washington officials who put them there, not the middle easterners who are defending their own home. Looking forward to the countless western media headlines and denunciations from western officials framing the coming Iranian retaliatory strikes on Israel as a completely unprovoked attack, like history began in that exact moment and Israel did nothing to warrant such aggression. Western officials like Antony Blinken and David Lammy have been urgently going on about the need for “de-escalation” in the middle east. You’ll never see western officials as opposed to escalation as they are when Israel has committed an insanely escalatory act of war against Iran but Iran has not yet retaliated. They’re fine to let Israel rampage completely unchecked, but as soon as it crosses the red line of someone strong enough to exact a heavy price, they’re all about “de-escalation”. — US Troops Get Hurt In The Middle East Because Of The Assholes Who Put Them There
Podcasts/Vide0s of the Day
How Much Wealth Is Too Much? | Robert Reich
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 : My own Government, I cannot be Silent. ― Martin Luther King Jr.
To this day, we have a government and state apparatus that is designed to “protect the minority of the opulent against the majority.” Democracy for white and wealthy men only! — Roland Sheppard, My Forefathers and The 1%’s Forefathers.
Biden Believes He Doesn’t Have to Talk to Putin “I don’t need to speak to Putin.” – President Joe Biden, August 1, 2024. In the understandable joy and triumph of the announcement of the multi-faceted hostage release last week, there was one brief question press corps that drew an unfortunate answer from President Joe Biden. The question dealt with the possibility that the hostage release could lead to talks between Biden and President Vladimir Putin; Biden’s answer dismissed any possibility of talks, let alone negotiations. The difficult negotiations over the hostage release didn’t take place in a vacuum. The worsening of relations between Russia and the United States has reached Cold War levels. The war between Ukraine and Russia, which Ukraine cannot win and Russia refuses to lose, is eventually going to need the intervention of the United States, the only country that can provide security guarantees to the protagonists. The conventional wisdom is that Russia doesn’t need any security guarantees, but there will be no movement toward resolving the conflict as long as the Kremlin has no idea of Western plans for tactical and strategic deployments on its sensitive western border over the next five to ten years. Putin, indeed no Russian leader, can willingly accept a permanently expanding role for the United States and the European NATO countries on a border that has witnessed costly invasions from Sweden, France, and Germany over the past three centuries. What would be the U.S. reaction to Russian military alliances with Canada and Mexico…or Cuba? Russian-American discussions are not only an essential requirement for dealing with Ukraine, but for dealing with sensitive arms control and disarmament negotiations that have been disrupted by dangerous decisions by Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump. Such discussions are required for dealing with the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea, which Russia (and China) have supported in the past. The overall problem of nonproliferation, which the Soviets raised more than 50 years ago also require a certain level of Russian-American cooperation. There are additional problems related to climate control and international terrorism that require cooperation. The West Europeans understand the need for engaging Russia, but the East Europeans oppose such a policy, and the United States has sided with the latter unfortunately.
Frenzy Over Olympic Boxer Imane Khelif Reveals Anti-Trans Absurdity on the Right Groups fighting against civil rights for LGBTQ youth in the US spread misinformation about Khelif’s gender When Algerian boxer Imane Khelif beat her competitor Angela Carini in just 46 seconds during an Olympic bout, it set off a firestorm. Right-wing media was quick to regurgitate false claims about Khelif’s gender. And those claims were spread in the United States by the same anti-LGBTQ groups fighting legal battles against federal civil rights protections for queer and trans students. As Khelif and Olympic officials have confirmed, she is a woman who was assigned female at birth and found eligible to compete in the Paris Olympics, where she is a finalist in women’s boxing. Now, Khelif is speaking out against bullying after facing a torrent of online hate fueled by anti-trans sensationalists who latched onto faulty media reports to claim that a “biological male” was boxing women in the Olympics.
United States Funded Genocide in Israel:
US Ambassador Rahm Emanuel to Skip Nagasaki Memorial After Israel Not Invited U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel will skip an event later this week commemorating the victims of the United States’ atomic bombing of Nagasaki in 1945 over the city government’s decision not to invite Israel, which is currently waging a devastating war on the Gaza Strip. Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki said the decision not to extend an invitation to Israel was made out of concerns about “possible unforeseen situations” such as protests over the Gaza assault or a potential violent attack at Friday’s event. In June, as Common Dreamsreported, Suzuki expressed concerns over “a risk of unpredictable disruption” stemming from “the critical humanitarian situation in Gaza and international opinion.”
Environmanet:
Fund Climate! — Not Genocide! 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’!
We Must Hold These Monsters to Account!
Tropical Storm Debby: South Carolina Hit With Over A Foot Of Rain As Florida Contends With Deadly Hazards At least five people are dead amid devastating rain and flooding from Tropical Storm Debby Tropical Storm Debby slowed over South Carolina Tuesday, bringing over a foot of rain and heavy flooding to the region as Florida reeled from the deadly after-effects of the storm. …Meanwhile, tornadoes wreaked havoc on the state. One tornado wiped out power lines and damaged homes on Edisto Beach, while another likely tornado caused damage on Isle of Palms, the South Carolina Daily Gazette reported.
Black Liberation/Civil Rights:
Amnesty Report Details a “Human Rights Crisis” in the Wake of “Dobbs” Ruling Abortion bans and other restrictive policies “can impact a variety of human rights,” said a senior Amnesty researcher. For nearly 50 years in the United States, the U.S. Supreme Court asserted that the U.S. Constitution protected the right to access abortion under Roe v. Wade. But on June 24, 2022, the Dobbs decision changed that and allowed states to make their own laws about who can have access to abortion care, and under what circumstances. Since then, 14 states have banned abortion, and six states have introduced a gestational limit between six to 12 weeks, according to KFF. As Salon has reported, the consequences are harrowing. Medical school graduates are avoiding states with abortion bans exacerbating the maternal healthcare crisis. Pregnant women are being forced to cross state lines to terminate nonviable pregnancies. This week, Amnesty International USA released a report detailing how the aftermath of Dobbs is a “human rights crisis.” “These types of bans and policies can impact a variety of human rights,” Jasmeet Sidhu, a senior researcher with Amnesty International USA, told Salon in a phone interview. “Including the right to life, the right to access healthcare, the right to privacy in some situations where abortion is being criminalized, and the right to be free from torture and other degrading treatment,”
Labor:
Economy:Stock Market Panic Reveals Underlying Crisis This week, stock markets fell as speculators grappled with the latest employment data coming out of the US. On the surface, the data doesn’t seem all that alarming, and stocks have recovered – for now. But the markets are right to be concerned. The markets were thrown into a panic as funds started selling off risky shares and bonds and buying safe ones. The VIX volatility index, which is supposed to measure the mood on ‘Wall Street’, is at its highest since the first weeks of the pandemic, which in turn was the highest since 2008. The Japanese stock market plunged further than the others, with a 12 percent fall. This was because the Bank of Japan has just decided to raise interest rates for the second time this year, and announced the beginning of the end of quantitative easing.
Former U.S. Labor Secretary Says Billionaires Have No Right to Exist Because their Wealth Comes from Five Illegal or Bad Practices Robert B. Reich, the former U.S. Labor Secretary under President Bill Clinton, a bestselling author and Professor Emeritus at UC Berkeley, penned an essay in May on why billionaires should not exist. Reich declares that there are only five ways someone can become a billionaire. (Reich narrates his essay in the video below, complete with cool graphics.) Reich lists the following five methods of becoming a billionaire: (1) exploit a monopoly; (2) exploit inside information; (3) buy off politicians; (4) defraud investors; (5) get money from rich relatives.
World:
These Riots are More Than Thuggery: They’re the Outcome of 14 Years of Tory Race-Baiting Because the Conservatives had nothing to offer the people of the UK, they sought to refocus our attention on scapegoats Because the Conservatives had nothing to offer the people of the UK, they sought to refocus our attention on scapegoats
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Accepts Call to Lead Bangladesh’s Interim Government Economist Muhammad Yunus won the Nobel prize in 2006 for establishing the microcredit institution Grameen Bank. For nearly 50 years in the United States, the U.S. Supreme Court asserted that the U.S. Constitution protected the right to access abortion under Roe v. Wade. But on June 24, 2022, the Dobbs decision changed that and allowed states to make their own laws about who can have access to abortion care, and under what circumstances. Since then, 14 states have banned abortion, and six states have introduced a gestational limit between six to 12 weeks, according to KFF. As Salon has reported, the consequences are harrowing. Medical school graduates are avoiding states with abortion bans exacerbating the maternal healthcare crisis. Pregnant women are being forced to cross state lines to terminate nonviable pregnancies. This week, Amnesty International USA released a report detailing how the aftermath of Dobbs is a “human rights crisis.” “These types of bans and policies can impact a variety of human rights,” Jasmeet Sidhu, a senior researcher with Amnesty International USA, told Salon in a phone interview. “Including the right to life, the right to access healthcare, the right to privacy in some situations where abortion is being criminalized, and the right to be free from torture and other degrading treatment,”
Bangladesh Solidarity: Talha to be Freed! Last week Talha Mahmud Chowdhury, a student and supporter of the Revolutionary Communist International, was abducted by members of the Chhatra League, the thugs of Hasina’s Awami League, and imprisoned on serious, trumped-up charges of attempted murder and vandalism. Today we received the news that, following the fall of Hasina’s regime, he is expected to be released tomorrow. For the crime of supporting the heroic quota movement and opposing Sheikh Hasina’s government, Talha has been locked up in the Khulshi Police Station, in Chattogram, for the past three weeks.
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Accepts Call to Lead Bangladesh’s Interim Government The leader of student protests over jobs and economic injustice in Bangladesh in recent weeks said Tuesday that Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus had accepted the students’ call for him to take over the country’s interim government, following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. A spokesperson for the country’s president, Mohammed Shahabuddin, told the Associated Press that Yunus would lead the interim government and that other political leaders would be decided soon. Yunus, an economist who won the Nobel prize in 2006 for establishing the microcredit institution Grameen Bank, has been called the “banker to the poor” for helping to lift millions of people in Bangladesh out of poverty through small loans
Education, Health, 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
‘Relentless’ New COVID Variants Extend California’s Summer Wave Health experts warn that emerging coronavirus variants pose a greater challenge than previous strains, prolonging California’s summer COVID-19 wave. “It’s relentless,” said Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at UCSF. He attributed the sustained uptick in hospitalizations, emergency room visits and test-positive rates since early May to extreme heat driving people indoors and the highly transmissible, rapidly evolving FLiRT variants. He attributed the sustained uptick in hospitalizations, emergency room visits and test-positive rates since early May to extreme heat driving people indoors and the highly transmissible, rapidly evolving FLiRT variants.
Factory Farms Cause Pandemics! From: The United States National Center for Biotechnology Information of the Institue of Health’s Essay Primary Pandemic Prevention 2021: “Over the last few decades, hundreds of human pathogens have emerged at a rate unprecedented in human history. Emerged from where? Mostly from animals. The AIDS virus is blamed on the butchering of primates in the African bushmeat trade, we created mad cow disease when we turned cows into carnivores and cannibals, and SARS and COVID-19 have been traced back to the exotic wild animal trade. Our last pandemic, swine flu in 2009, arose not from some backwater wet market in Asia, however. It was largely made-in-the-USA on pig production operations in the United States. In this new Age of Emerging Diseases, there are now billions of animals overcrowded and intensively confined in filthy factory farms for viruses to incubate and mutate within. Today’s industrial farming practices have given viruses billions more spins at pandemic roulette.”