Daily News Digest October 11, 2024
Images of the Day:
Flint Water Crisis: Sometimes Political Cartoons Speak Volumes
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:
Installing lead pipes has been illegal since 1973 in Germany. There is also a maximum amount of lead that can be found in the water for it to be deemed safe, which is essentially impossible to achieve while having lead pipes (0.01mg/L). I found a statistic that says, that there are 15000 homes in Germany with lead pipes (0,08%). The lead pipes not only have to be replaced because they are made of lead, but also because installing them has been banned for so long, that they are older than a pipe is allowed to be in general. — Lead Pipes in Germany
The Secret History of Neoliberalism (w/ George Monbiot) | The Chris Hedges Report
Black Agenda Radio October 4, 2024
Israel and the U.S. Escalate War in Western Asia
Haitian “Leaders” are U.S. Puppets
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.
Several FL Jails in Milton’s Projected Path Refuse to Evacuate People Inside “When my son was sentenced, he was not given a death sentence,” said one parent of a person currently in jail. Anumber of jails in central Florida are endangering thousands of lives by refusing to evacuate to other facilities despite the clear and present danger posed by Hurricane Milton, which is set to make landfall in the state in a matter of hours. Several of these jails — where thousands of people are incarcerated and hundreds are employed — are located in Zone A or Zone B of evacuation zones, where it is mandatory that all residents evacuate before the hurricane reaches them. “If you are in the Storm Surge Warning Area, this is an extremely life-threatening situation, and you should evacuate today if ordered by local officials,” the National Hurricane Center said on Tuesday, adding that there “will likely not be enough time” to change minds later on.
The United States is Ruled by the 1% Opulent Minority, It is Not a Democacy!: Most in US Oppose Support for Israel’s War on Gaza—So Why Are We Still Paying for It? The U.S. has enabled this ongoing genocide and other crimes by providing unconditional support for Israel despite mounting atrocities. More than statistics, law, and politics, our nation’s role in the Palestinian genocide should shake our conscience and cause us to question its morality. Are human rights and justice good for some but not others? The U.S. government often claims to stand for the rule of law, but this past year has made it painfully clear that this doesn’t apply to Palestinians. The moral, financial, and security costs of U.S. support for Israel’s rapidly expanding wars are adding up for Americans, too. Since October 7, 2023, around 42,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, plus over 700 more in the West Bank. Over 1,100 Israelis have been killed, too. These tragedies are a direct consequence of Israel’s illegal, U.S.-backed occupation of Palestinian territory and its war on Gaza, which must both end immediately. From the mass killing and maiming of Palestinian civilians to the forced starvation and deliberate destruction of Gaza’s health infrastructure, Palestinians and international experts have warned from the start that Israel is committing a “textbook case of genocide” in Gaza.
United States Armed and Funded Middle East War/Palestinan Genocide:
When Biden Says ‘He’s a Zionist’ — Believe Him!
One Year of Empty Rhetoric From the White House on Israel’s Wars The Biden Administration Has Consistently Said Israel Should Not Kill civilians as it sends Israel more weapons to kill civilians. In March, as Israel threatened to invade Rafah in southern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians had been sheltering, President Joe Biden acknowledged that if Israel invaded the city, it would be crossing “a red line.” It was Biden’s first public acknowledgement that any “red line,” limits, or conditions existed for U.S. support for Israel. In May, Biden followed up by halting the transfer of 2,000-pound and 500-pound bombs to Israel in an effort to limit civilian casualties in Rafah. In July, however, the U.S. resumed shipments of 500-pound bombs. The following month, the Biden administration approved a $20 billion weapons sales deal to Israel for the coming years, which is currently being held up in Congress due to a resolution from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. In September, the Biden administration approved a separate $8.7 billion arms package. The rhetoric coming out of the White House, when it has been focused on peace or restraint, rather than continuous war, has been undercut at every turn by its actions. The constant supply of weapons — $17.9 billion of bullets, bombs, shells, and other military aid in the past year — has allowed Israel to keep waging its war on Gaza, and in recent weeks, expand that war to Lebanon and threaten to escalate its conflict with Iran. Despite documentation of U.S. weapons being used in probable war crimes, and credible allegations that Israel is committing genocide in its war on Gaza, the bombs have continued to flow.
Environment:
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!
Capitalism’s Addiction to Fossil Fuels Causes Global Warming! Capitalist Should Pay for the Damage That They Caused! Tax These Subsidized Polluters 100%! Helene, the Climate Emergency, and Insurance Industry Hypocrisy Homeowners should not be forced to bear the brunt of both the physical destruction and the financial fallout from climate change. Hurricane Helene decimated much of the southeastern United States last week, causing widespread destruction and claiming the lives of more than 230 people across six states after it made landfall in Florida. North Carolina bore the brunt of the damage caused by the climate change-intensified storm. As North Carolina homeowners face a future of rebuilding, they are also staring down the barrel of an insurance crisis. Hurricane Helene exposed not only the vulnerability of communities to extreme weather but also the flaws in the U.S. insurance system.
Disater Capitalism: Corporate Price Gouging Amid Hurricanes Prompts Calls for Federal Action Airlines, hotels, and other companies have taken advantage of the crises brought by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and a group of Florida representatives said late Tuesday that the federal government must do more to crack down on airlines, hotels, and other companies taking advantage of emergency conditions brought by Hurricanes Helene and Milton to jack up prices and pad their bottom lines. “Instead of making it easier for people to evacuate, airlines and hotels are exploiting a horrific situation to charge astronomical fares only the rich can afford — from over $600 for a single night in a Hampton Inn to over $1,000 for flights that usually cost around $100,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the chair of the CPC, said in a joint statement with Reps. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), Darren Soto (D-Fla.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.).
US Emergency Crews Struggle as Climate Crisis Fuels ‘Unprecedented’ Competing Disasters Resources are stretched thin as the south-east grapples with hurricanes and the west swelters in high temperatures Resources are stretched thin as the south-east grapples with hurricanes and the west swelters in high temperatures It’s been a brutal week in weather-related disasters across the US. Large parts of the south-east are still grappling with the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, and another potentially catastrophic storm is barreling towards Florida. At the same time, much of the west has been sweltering amid scorching temperatures, which have elevated fire risks and fueled extreme fire behavior.
When Will Hurricane Milton Make Landfall and How Did it Reach Category 5 Strength so Quickly? The speed with which recent hurricanes have been intensifying in strength is alarming climate experts, officials and residents facing these huge storms. More than a million people have been told to evacuate as Florida braces for the arrival of Hurricane Milton this week on the state’s west coast. Milton is the third fastest-intensifying storm on record in the Atlantic Ocean, the US National Weather Service has said as experts warn the climate crisis is fueling more powerful storms.
50 Years Since Germany Banned Lead Pipes, the US Will Try to Get the Lead Out and Provide Safe Water!: The Brockovich Report: Letting Go Of Lead Pipes & Those Who Deny Lead Problems The U.S. EPA Issues Updated Rule To Finally Replace All Lead Pipes In This Country. Yesterday, the U.S. EPA announced new, final regulations, requiring drinking water systems across the country to identify and replace lead service lines (LSL) within the next 10 years. Yesterday, the U.S. EPA announced new, final regulations, requiring drinking water systems across the country to identify and replace lead service lines (LSL) within the next 10 years.
Black Liberation/Civil Rights:
- Eric Adams and the Death of Black Politics The indictment of New York City mayor Eric Adams is the latest example of moribund Black politics.
- October 7th, The Election and Capitalist Crisis, A Conversation with Ajamu Baraka Margaret Kimberley, Executive Editor and Senior Columnist of Black Agenda Report is again in conversation with Ajamu Baraka, Black Agenda Report Editor and Contributor. The US presidential election is just four weeks away, and momentous events are occurring, particularly in Western Asia, where Israel continues its onslaught with an invasion of Lebanon, the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and a limited response from Iran. We’ll discuss the impact of these events on domestic politics and how the US might bring some peace if it was inclined to do so.
- ESSAY: Rethinking Race, Rethinking Class, Charles W. Mills, 1995 “We need to give greater theoretical centrality to the fact that European conquest of the world has established what is in effect: global white supremacy.”
- Social Media Beyond Corporate Control Social media bans on African Stream should remind us that corporations will never facilitate anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist narratives and stir us to look for alternatives.
- Britain Cedes Control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius While Maintaining Pentagon Base After nearly six decades, the right to self-determination and independence is still being denied to the Indigenous people as the United States prepares for expanding imperialist wars in Asia and Africa.
- From Axis of Resistance to Political Cuckolds: How Palestinians, African Americans and Black South Africans Were Betrayed by Their Own One of the many unfortunate common threads between Palestinians, South Africans, and African Americans is the betrayal of the people by their political leadership who were meant to lead them into a better future. Instead, they were abandoned while those leaders became puppets of imperialist powers.
- The Meaning of October 7th: An Oppressed People Will Always Find a Way to Resist Oppression “Peace is not the absence of conflict, but rather the achievement by popular struggle of … the defeat of global systems of oppression that include colonialism, imperialism, patriarchy, and white supremacy.” (BAP Principle of Unity)
- An open letter to prison officials on the censorship of Tip of the Spear Orisanmi Birton’s groundbreaking book, Tip of the Spear, has been listed as contraband in prisons across the country, not only preventing incarcerated people from accessing the book but punishing them if it is found in their possession. These institutions consider Burton’s book to be too subversive to allow behind the walls for fear of the increased political awakening of the incarcerated population. This reveals the truth of the illegitimacy and tenuousness of the carceral system.
- Gilbert Bigio: Israel’s Man in Haiti and the Architect Behind the US Migrant Crisis Billionaire oligarch Gilbert Bigio, is well know as one of the forces of influence that allow for shipments of arms to enter the country, provide cover for the western-backed gangs, and maintains the instability of the government. He also is an example of how deep the clutches of Zionism go.
- Dismantling Green Colonialism: Stages of a Just Transition?Dismantling Green Colonialism: Energy and Climate Justice in the Arab Region has received much critical acclaim since its publication with Pluto Press in October 2023.
- Open letter to President Abinader: We call for compliance with the Constitution and an end to denationalization and racial discrimination September marked eleven years since the Dominican Republic passed the law that revoked the citizenship of millions of Dominican people with Haitian heritage.
- The problem is systemic: understanding the #OccupyParliament movement in Kenya Reflecting on the mass protests that recently shook Kenyan society from top to bottom, Joel Mukisa argues that we must go much further than a choiceless democracy to find answers.
Labor:
The Labor Bureaucracy/Empoyers Partnershp: Cracks Starting to Show in the Labor-Democrat Alliance Last month, two unions refused to endorse either presidential candidate. On September 13, the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) released a statement making no endorsement and calling for the creation of a labor party. The UE is a small union with a history of left-wing politics since its founding in 1936. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, America’s fourth largest union with 1.3 million members, also refused to endorse either the Democratic or Republican candidate. On October 3, the executive board of the 350,000 member International Association of Firefighters also voted to not endorse Trump or Harris.
“Workers Desperately Need an Independent Political Organization”
The UE and Teamsters came to the same decision for very different reasons. The UE’s statement makes several excellent appraisals of the political situation. It criticizes both parties for being controlled by corporations and for being out of touch with the working class. The UE is right to say: Working people desperately need an independent political organization, based on a political program that can unite us, which can fight for that platform in the electoral arena—in short, a labor party … an organization that can fight for bold pro-worker policies, mobilize people in the streets—and win elections. Establishing a working-class party would be an enormous step forward. Workers would finally have a vehicle to fight for our own class interests. But the only way such a party could really implement “bold pro-worker policies” and improve our living conditions is by ending the rule of the capitalist class once and for all.
Economy:
World:
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