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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
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:
There are literally two Americas. One America is beautiful . . . overflowing with the milk of prosperity and the honey of opportunity. This America is the habitat of millions of people who have food and material necessities for their bodies and culture and education for their minds and freedom and human dignity for their spirits. In this America, millions of people experience every day the opportunity of having life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in all of their dimensions. And in this America millions of young people grow up in the sunlight of opportunity. But tragically and unfortunately, there is another America. This other America has a daily ugliness about it that constantly transforms the ebullience of hope into the fatigue of despair. In this America millions of work-starved men walk the streets daily in search for jobs that do not exist. In this America millions of people find themselves living in rat-infested, vermin-filled slums. In this America people are poor by the millions. They find themselves perishing on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. — Martin Luther King, MartinLuther King Jr. Speech: The Other America
This past July 14, the Council of State decided to call general elections, during which delegates to municipal and provincial assemblies, and deputies to the National Assembly of People’s Power — who will chose the Council of State and President of the Parliament — will be chosen. At the same time, the electoral commissions which will direct the process at different stages were constituted, and candidacy commissions established. It is imperative to note the vital political importance of this electoral process, which must constitute an act of revolutionary reaffirmation by our people, and demands concerted efforts by all institutions and organizations. We are certain, as the Cuban people have demonstrated on past occasions, that the elections will be an example of a genuinely democratic exercise, supported by broad popular participation, legality, and a transparent electoral process, which does not feature competing political parties or campaign fundraising, but in which nominating and choosing candidates is based on the individual’s merit, ability, and commitment to the people. — Raul Castro, We will Continue to Advance Along the Path Freely Chosen by Our People
Damond’s death – as Trayvon’s and Rekia’s and and Sandra’s and so many others have before – offers us the chance to address the violence of policing head on, and the ways policing disproportionately affects poor and nonwhite people but can harm anyone. Policing is the means by which an unequal social order is violently kept in place. Let’s run with this – not by elevating Damond as an exceptionally innocent victim, but by honoring her right alongside all the people mowed down by police day in and day out. — Justine Damond’s death is a tragedy — as every police killing in America is
Videos of the Day:
Empire Files: Anti-Black Racism Reveals Israel’s White Supremacy In this on-the-ground investigation, Abby Martin talks to Osman Ali, a refugee from Darfur, at Holot prison camp about the treatment of refugees by the government, and Tehune Maharat, an Ethiopian Jewish activist whose cousin was killed in an apparent hate crime by Israeli police, about the rampant and institutional racism in the country. Watch more on TeleSur
Marking the 140th Anniversary of the Great Railroad Strike of 1887 Labor historian Bill Barry tours viewers through a B&O Railroad Museum exhibit honoring the strike in which over 100,000 workers participated, and over 100 people were killed
Corporate Media Silence Helps Maintain Warfare in Syria Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron made important remarks about the Syria ceasefire that the corporate media ignored in favor of Russiagate, says Black Agenda Report’s Glen Ford
U.S.:
How Seattle Voted to Tax the Rich Seattle further cemented its reputation as one of the most progressive cities in the U.S. last week, when its City Council passed a law to tax the rich, sponsored by socialist City Councilmember Kshama Sawant along with Councilmember Lisa Herbold. The law places a 2.25% tax on individual incomes over $250,000 and $500,000 for married couples. It’s expected to raise as much as $175 million to fund affordable housing, education, transit, human services, and other critical needs.by Adam Ziemkowski and Rebekah Liberian
Two Americas: Study By MIT Economist: U.S. Has Regressed To A Third-World Nation For Most Of Its Citizens | The Intellectualist America divided — this concept increasingly graces political discourse in the U.S., pitting left against right, conservative thought against the liberal agenda. But for decades, Americans have been rearranging along another divide, one just as stark if not far more significant — a chasm once bridged by a flourishing middle class. Peter Temin, Professor Emeritus of Economics at MIT, believes the ongoing death of “middle America” has sparked the emergence of two countries within one, the hallmark of developing nations.
Black Liberation/Civil Rights:
Environment:
Rise of mega farms: how the US model of intensive farming is invading the world Demand for cheaper food and lower production costs is turning green fields into industrial sheds to process vast amounts of meat and poultry
Ongoing Big Energy Crisis:
The Wolf Guarding the Hen House from the Fox: California’s Love Affair With Big Oil: From Marine ‘Protection’ to Cap-and-Trade Bill My long series of articles investigating the power of Big Oil in California, including my recent coverage of legislation brokered by Governor Jerry Brown to extend California’s cap-and-trade program past 2020, began at the Annual Legislative Fisheries Forum at the State Capitol in March of 2009. As I listened to testimony from the public about the controversial Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative to create “marine protected areas” in California, my ears perked up when John Lewallen, an author, longtime North Coast environmental leader and seaweed harvester, complained that an oil industry lobbyist, was strategically placed on the panel overseeing the creation of marine protected areas. I was stunned. After he spoke, I asked Lewallen, a Mendocino County resident, “What’s the lobbyist’s name?” He told me, “Catherine Reheis-Boyd, President of the Western States Petroleum Association. Look it up on the DFG website.” By Dan Bacher
Labor:
Economy:
World:
The UN’s Legacy in Haiti: Stability, but for Whom? After 13 years and more than $7 billion, the “touristas” — as the United Nations soldiers that currently occupy Haiti are commonly referred to — will finally be heading home. Well, sort of. While thousands of troops are expected to depart in October, the UN has authorized a new, smaller mission composed of police that will focus on justice and strengthening the rule of law. But the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti, known by its French acronym, MINUSTAH, is not just thousands of foreign soldiers “keeping the peace.” It is the latest and most visible manifestation of the international community’s habit of intervening in Haiti, a habit that is unlikely to change. World powers have always had a difficult time accepting Haitian sovereignty. When a slave revolt delivered Haiti independence from France in 1804, gunboat diplomacy ensured the liberated inhabitants would pay for their freedom. For the next 150 years, Haiti paid France a ransom for its continued independence. In the early twentieth century, a new hegemonic power held sway, with US Marines occupying the country for more than 20 years. By Jake Johnston
RMT agrees to consult members on Labour Party affiliation At the recent annual general meeting of the RMT, the rail union, the question of affiliation to the Labour Party was discussed, after being rejected last year. At a packed conference fringe meeting John McDonnell, the shadow Labour chancellor, made a personal appeal for the union to “come home” to Labour. By Rob Sewell 
Venezuelan Opposition “Consultation”: Playing Alone and Losing Sunday, July 16, was a significant day in Venezuela’s political history. The right-wing opposition MUD, backed by the United States, threw all its weight behind a “consultation” that they hoped would show that their coup attempts had a formidable public backing and trigger the “zero hour” of a new phase that would lead to the removal of the Bolivarian government. In the end the stunt backfired, leaving the opposition more or less stranded. The real surprise was the show of force from chavismo, which went out on the streets to rebuke the opposition’s stunt and take part in a dry-run for the July 30 Constituent Assembly elections. by Ricardo Vaz
Health, Science, Education, and Welfare:
Detecting What Unravels Our Society – Bottom-up and Top-down The unraveling of a society’s institutions, stability and reasonable order does not sound alarms to forewarn the citizenry, apart from economic yardsticks measuring poverty, jobs, wages, health, savings, profits and other matters economic. However, we do have some signs that we should not allow ourselves to ignore. Maliciousness, profiteering and willful ignorance on the part of our political and corporate rulers undoubtedly contribute to worsening injustice. Let’s consider some ways that we as citizens, far too often, collectively allow this to happen. By Ralph Nader
Transparency 
Quotes of the Day: