Anderson edited "Leveraging: A Political, Economic and Societal Framework" (Springer, 2014), has taught at five universities and ran for the Democratic nomination for a Maryland congressional seat in 2016.

As we celebrate our independence this month, the vast majority of Americans need to decide to reframe our country.

The polarization narrative has a stranglehold on Washington and the American people. It is nothing less than the reigning paradigm of American political thought. This is unfortunate because the paradigm is misguided, even though there are certainly pockets of polarization throughout the country and considerable hostility between the most vocal elements of both the Democratic and Republican parties, inside and outside Washington.

We need a new paradigm to reframe what America is. There are three main themes that need to be addressed.

The polarization theme is the first.

Poll after poll, survey after survey, show widespread agreement on many major policy debates, including the need for immigration reform with a path to citizenship, protection of Social Security and Medicare, massive investment in infrastructure, funding for paid parental leave, reforming the criminal justice system, confronting climate change, significant support for child care for the middle class as well as the working class and the poor, and more.

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One-third of the 240 million members of the American electorate did not vote in 2020, and 44 percent of Americans, according to the latest Gallup poll, regard themselves as independents. Today only 53 percent of Republicans still believe Donald Trump is the rightful president, whereas this figure was in the 70 percent to 80 percent range in November and December.

That figure is nothing to boast about from the standpoint of national health, but when only 25 percent of the electorate identify as Republicans this means about 13 percent of the electorate do not think Biden is the rightful president. That is nothing to brag about if you think Trump is the rightful president.

The idea that we are a country where Democrats are pit against Republicans the way Southerners were pit against Northerners prior to The Civil War is plainly false. Most of us sit somewhere between the two 20-yard lines of a football field. The media and the politicians, however, give most of their attention to the extremists, especially when it comes to getting elected in primaries and most especially in House primaries in gerrymandered districts.

The polarization narrative is one part of the poor framework used for understanding our country of 330 million people who are a complex mix of urban, suburban and rural voters with ever increasing minority representation.

Washington is definitely polarized as the Democratic and Republican parties are engaged in a bitter battle that concerns not only policy differences but a titanic struggle over the 2020 presidential election and the laws federal, state and local that should govern elections. It is the American people who are not.

A second part of the process of reframing America is to accept the fact that we do not live in a society with a capitalist economy. We must acknowledge that we live in a society with a mixed economy. From the New Deal to the Great Society we morphed into a "mixed economy," one in which the government intervenes in a very substantial way in the private sector. We have a massive system of regulation and redistribution, one that gave us and in most cases still gives us everything from Social Security and Medicare to the Affordable Care Act, the Clean Air Act, the National Labor Relations Act, the Violence Against Women Act and the Interstate Highway Act.

We, and many other countries, rejected both capitalism and socialism in the 20th century and carved out a middle ground. We do not have a "capitalist mixed economy," which is what most economists would say. We have a mixed economy, plain and simple. When you mix chocolate cake and vanilla cake you get marble cake, and when you mix capitalism and socialism you get a mixed economy.

One of the chief reasons we need to jettison the concept (and word) of "capitalism" is that it enables Republicans to provide a wrongheaded critique of Democrats as raging "socialists" who have rejected capitalism. Since neither the country nor most Republicans are capitalists in any interesting sense of the term, Republicans need to be denied the opportunity to falsely label Democrats as socialists during candidate campaigns. (Less than 5 percent self-describe that way.)

If the public especially the moderates and centrists, many of whom are independents could come to understand that our political-economic system is not capitalist or socialist in any interesting sense of the term, then they would not be swayed by unfair, grossly inaccurate labeling and fear-mongering by the hard right.

The third element of the new framework concerns public policy debates about the size of the federal government. It is time to drop it.

In the 21st century, the pressing issue about our federal government must not be framed in terms of its size, although of course there are major questions about the nature and extent of federal spending. Instead, the driving issue is more nuanced and indeed pervasive. It concerns whether the federal government effectively leverages resources across federal agencies to solve problems that cannot be solved by one agency alone, including climate change, systemic racism, family policy, job creation, infrastructure and the pandemic crisis itself.

Leveraging resource leveraging, financial leveraging and bargaining leveraging is the dominant way companies, nonprofits, politicians and individuals get things done today. When the Cold War ended, the nuclear family declined and information technology revolutionized business, politics and personal life, traditional lines of authority dissolved.

This was an invitation for resource leveraging, especially of the internet and social media, to take off: If you can no longer order people and countries what to do and your bargaining leverage is weakened, you need to leverage resources to get things done. The most obvious form of resource leveraging is leveraging government investment to generate private investment on a public works project. A reframed America will integrate the concept of resource leveraging across Cabinet departments into the entire framework.

We need to throw out concepts about our country that undermine our ability to live and work together with dignity, compassion and common purpose. It is time to reframe America.

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It's time to reframe the United States - The Fulcrum

For the burgeoning Indian middle class, theres a China-envy at work as the aspirational segment looks at the roadblocks posed by Indias chaotic democracy

Watching the pomp and grandeur of the events marking the centenary of Chinese Communist Party that culminated in a major speech delivered by CCP general secretary Xi Jinping before a 70,000-strong crowd on 1 July at the Tiananmen Square in Beijing, it is difficult to escape the conclusion that the impressive performance was as much a grand celebration as a geopolitical missive. This was China telling the world that it has arrived.

The awe-inspiring choreography and stunning visuals were meant to express efficiency, control and order against the chaos of democracies. The CCP was perhaps trying to prove that one-party states do not lack in vitality or vivacity. But the Chinese president had a lot to convey of his own. Xis hour-long, extraordinary address gave us a glimpse into the way the party perceives itself, the direction towards which it wants to take China and Xis personal ambitions.

It also made explicit the implications of great power competition with the rapid rise of a Leninist authoritarian state that is integrated with the global economy, brings its own set of toolkits to the table, bends the existing system to facilitate its rise and presents an existential threat to the normative order by offering an autocratic alternative to democratic societies and their political systems.

Xi moved from history to the present and linked the fate of 1.4 billion people of China to the fate of 95 million members of CCP, stating forcefully that the party and the state are inseparable, CCPs right to rule is inalienable and the survival and success of CCP is integral to Chinas national rejuvenation.

Xi also exhorted the virtues of Sinified Marxism socialism with Chinese characteristics as he likes to call it and the importance of ideological clarity as well as malleability in the highly centralised power structure of the CCP. Having secured his position as the core leader for life, Xi also placed equal emphasis on upholding the partys firm leadership and maintaining a strong military that remains loyal to the party as essential conditions for Chinas progress.

Also notable was his pitch that Chinas job is only half done. Xi expressed satisfaction that the first centenary goal of removing absolute poverty has been met, and the party is now marching in confident strides toward the second centenary goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The case that Xi was making is that it is essential for him to remain at the helm (beyond the two-term limit that he has already abolished) for China to meet its goals and be rejuvenated a term that appears in his speech 24 times.

Yet amid the restorative rhetoric that sees success as the result of a never-ending struggle (13 appearances), what shone through was the note of defiance, even anger, as Xi took aim at the powers he deems to be antithetical to Chinas rise.

In a passage marked with deceit, aggression and imagery of violence, the Chinese president warned that whoever takes on China will pay a heavy price. Xis message was intended as much for the domestic audience as the United States and other nations that have criticised Chinas mercantilist policies, territorial aggrandisement, wolf warrior diplomacy and oppression of minorities.

Xi said, We Chinese are a people who uphold justice and are not intimidated by threats of force. As a nation, we have a strong sense of pride and confidence. We have never bullied, oppressed or subjugated the people of any other country, and we never will.

Deception is a favourite tool of the CCP, so the irony is lost on Xi. As the chairman of Central Military Commission that controls the partys armed wing, the PLA, Xi has overseen an astonishing phase of Chinese territorial aggression across the land and sea, sparing not even the tiny Bhutan. The millions of Uyghurs Muslims who remain incarcerated for the crime of practicing their religion, or those who were forcibly sterilised may also have something to say.

Xi then delivered the punchline. By the same token, the Chinese people will absolutely not allow any foreign force to bully, oppress or enslave us and anyone who attempts to do so will face broken heads and bloodshed in front of the iron Great Wall of the 1.4 billion Chinese people. The specific phrase has also been translated as heads bashed bloody.

Interestingly, the imagery of violence and bloodshed is toned down in the official English translation where broken heads and bloodshed/heads bashed bloody is replaced by a more sanitised expression. The Chinese foreign ministry version of Xis speech reads, Anyone who would attempt to do so will find themselves on a collision course with a great wall of steel forged by over 1.4 billion Chinese people.

Washington Post, however, points out that the phrase heads bashed bloody was trending on the social media platform Weibo, unhindered by the regimes army of censors as soon as Xi delivered his speech.

It is likely that Xi was playing to the gallery that greeted the words with a lusty cheer. Behind the aggressive rhetoric, however, Xi sent a larger message that the post-War world order is over, and the liberal democratic axis must learn to live with and accommodate the rise of a rival power that has hegemonic designs of its own.

When Xi said, We are also eager to learn what lessons we can from the achievements of other cultures, and welcome helpful suggestions and constructive criticism. We will not, however, accept sanctimonious preaching from those who feel they have the right to lecture us. The Party and the Chinese people will keep moving confidently forward in broad strides along the path that we have chosen for ourselves, and we will make sure the destiny of Chinas development and progress remains firmly in our own hands, he laid down a marker.

Or consider these lines: We will continue to champion cooperation over confrontation, to open up rather than closing our doors, and to focus on mutual benefits instead of zero-sum games. We will oppose hegemony and power politics, and strive to keep the wheels of history rolling toward bright horizons.

Xis candid remarks show China is throwing both a structural and ideological challenge to the US and the hegemony of the America-led liberal order. At one level, it is a power game. An exponentially powerful China is stating that it will brook no opposition in its quest of becoming the regional hegemon and reserves the right to shape the behavior of the states in the geography that it dominates. That means the United States, the ruling hegemon, no longer enjoys primacy in Asia.

Consider Xis rhetoric on Taiwan. Resolving the Taiwan question and realising Chinas complete reunification is a historic mission and an unshakable commitment of the Communist Party of China. We will uphold the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, and advance peaceful national reunification. We must take resolute action to utterly defeat any attempt toward Taiwan independence, and work together to create a bright future for national rejuvenation. No one should underestimate the resolve, the will, and the ability of the Chinese people to defend their national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

A few days later on 6 July, Kurt Campbell, Joe Bidens Asia handler, said at a webinar that the US does not support Taiwan independence and fully recognises and understands the sensitivities involved". These remarks were promptly played up by Global Times, with added comments that this is the first time that a senior official in the Biden administration explicitly said that the US does not support Taiwan independence, which sent shockwaves to the island of Taiwan.

At another level, China is also confronting the ideological supremacy of liberalism and the feasibility of democratic political system in delivering growth and meeting aspirations putting forth its authoritarian, technocratic model as a viable option.

Xi said, We will develop whole-process peoples democracy, safeguard social fairness and justice, and resolve the imbalances and inadequacies in development and the most pressing difficulties and problems that are of great concern to the people. In doing so, we will make more notable and substantive progress toward achieving well-rounded human development and common prosperity for all.

China is challenging the tenets of liberalism still the most influential global ideology that personal liberty, political freedom and a moral core is the lifeblood of human progress and the desirable end-state. It is posing instead that a one-party rule that tightly controls all the levers and institutions of society and even runs a surveillance state may offer better prosperity and security to its people, and the end-state of human progress is equitable success that may only be achieved by a society that is collectivist, remains unified and is willing to be guided by the iron hands of an imperial government.

American writer and China observer Orville Schell wonders in Foreign Affairs, might the Chinese just be different from everyone else, especially those in the West? Perhaps, some say, Chinese citizens will prove content to gain wealth and power alone, without these aspects of life that other societies have commonly considered fundamental to being human. Then he proceeds to answer the question himself: Such an assumption seems unrealistic, not to say patronising.

China, however, is questioning the validity of the values that the West holds axiomatic and universal for human civilisation. There could be legitimate debates over whether Chinas model of development is inherently brittle and may eventually implode but the CCP is convinced that economic well-being, and not personal liberty, is essential in maintaining the social compact.

Instead of a democratic seal of approval, the party retains legitimacy by delivering on peoples aspirations and growth. It sees representative democracy as a model riven with weakness that breeds chaos and instability.

It would be wrong to assume, however, that the CCP controls Chinese society by keeping it distracted with merely a single-minded pursuit of prosperity. The CCP remains genuinely popular, and it has successfully managed to combine elements of Sinified communism with a staunch nationalist outlook that runs deep in Chinese society. The CCP from Mao Zedong to Xi Jinping has been able to establish itself as the link between Chinas past humiliation and promised greatness.

Consider Xis comments: With a history of more than 5,000 years, China has made indelible contributions to the progress of human civilisation. After the Opium War of 1840, however, China was gradually reduced to a semi-colonial, semi-feudal society and suffered greater ravages than ever before. The country endured intense humiliation, the people were subjected to great pain, and the Chinese civilisation was plunged into darkness. Since that time, national rejuvenation has been the greatest dream of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation.

As Rush Doshi, director for China in Biden administrations National Security Council, writes in his book The Long Game, many of the Chinese Communist Partys early leaders were patriotic youth drawn to this essentially restorative nationalist project. To dismiss the CCPs popularity as brittle and the partys rule as an implosion waiting to happen because it runs an imported Leninist ideology is wishful thinking.

This brings us to the key question on the impact of China model on democracies, specifically for India, since China is our neighbour and its hegemonic ambitions in the same geography holds huge implications for our development. The question is all the more important because India has been unable so far to translate its demographic dividend into economic productivity to mimic Chinas rise.

For the burgeoning Indian middle class, theres a China-envy at work as the aspirational segment looks at the roadblocks posed by Indias chaotic and rambunctious democracy as the cholesterol that impedes its promised economic transformation, as opposed to China where one-party rule gets things done.

But can authoritarian technocracy replace Indias multi-stakeholder politics? According to Harsh Pant of Kings College, London, whatever India did, it did in a democratic framework. Indias economic reforms program was not a dictate from some party high command but the result of a meticulous process of multi stakeholder engagement. Indias choices, therefore, should be understood in this context.

Theres also the risk that democracies face from within, as CCPs fixation on command and control is seen as a necessary ingredient of Chinas success. As BJP general secretary Ram Madhav writes in Open magazine, Increasingly, under the osmosis effect, democracies too are turning to concentration of more and more powers in the hands of governments. The economic strife caused by the pandemic has provided an opportunity to the leaders in several democracies to resort to the same model today.

This is now an open question. It is reasonable to assume, however, that the pluralism and diversity inherent in Indian society, the heterogeneity of geography, not to speak of Indias long argumentative tradition impose implacable roadblocks on the idea of a strong leader doing away with democracy. Indias inevitable rise, and not the hegemonic West, therefore will provide the answer to this question.

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China is asking critical questions of the global normative order, and only India has a clue to the answers - Firstpost

In what is on track to be a record year of deadly violence in Chicago, Americas third largest city, 104 people were shot over the July 4 Independence Day holiday weekend, 19 fatally, according to local media.

The days leading up to the holiday weekend saw horrific violence, including a one-month-old infant shot in the head while sitting in her car seat, a nine-year-old girl shot in the head while sitting in a car and an eight-year-old girl shot in the arm while in her home.

On July 1, 20-year-old Max Solomon Lewis, a University of Chicago undergraduate studying economics and computer science, was shot in the neck while sitting in an elevated car on the West Side. He died three days later.

The entire month of June saw gruesome levels of gun violence. Just in the final weekend of the month, 10 people were fatally shot and 65 others were wounded. Chicago is averaging about one mass shooting per week since 2019, according to the public radio channel WBEZ.

Just halfway through 2021, highway shootings in the Chicago area have reached the total number for all of 2020.

Last month, Good Kids-Mad City marched to City Hall with a group of 30 youth to protest the lack of action on the part of the city government. The protesters demanded that the city call the epidemic of gun violence a public health crisis and declare a state of emergency.

Democratic leaders have responded to the rise in gun violence by demanding that the administration of Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot carry out a crackdown. Different arms of the local government are blaming one another for being insufficiently aggressive in making arrests and imposing long jail sentences.

Lightfoot directed a call for a sense of urgency at the federal level to President Joe Biden during his visit to Illinois last week. Lightfoot assured the media that federal assistance would be coming soon, in the form of a federal strike force.

She told the Sun Times that Chicagos specific needs required talks with federal police agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the US Marshals Service. Lightfoots efforts to bolster the operations of the Chicago police with federal law enforcement agencies began last year under President Trump and are expanding under Biden.

In mid-June, an online webinar was conducted by the United States Conference of Mayors. Mayors from Austin (Steve Adler), Houston (Sylvester Turner), Chicago (Lightfoot), Savannah (Van Johnson) and San Jose (Sam Liccardo) united in a call for increased federal intervention. One week later, President Biden, speaking from the White House, announced new executive and legislative measures to deal with what he called a crime wave and epidemic of gun violence in American cities.

Ahead of the July 4 holiday weekend, Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown was questioned for six hours by City Council members about police plans for the weekend. Last year, in the wake of mass protests opposing police violence that were accompanied by some looting, Brown announced a plan for preemptive arrests of youth ahead of the holiday.

Brown has appeared on CNN to boast of the citys progress in ending violent foot pursuits after police shot and killed 13-year-old Adam Toledo and 22-year-old Anthony Alvarez in a late-night chase last March.

During a recent City Council meeting, Brown blamed modest changes made at the state level, including the elimination of cash bail, for the increase in shootings. He also complained that Cook County judges were handing down lenient sentences.

The Cook County States Attorneys office responded to these accusations with equally reactionary rhetoric, blaming the police for being slow to make arrests. States Attorney Kim Foxx tweeted: Finger-pointing instead of talking honestly about the violence plaguing our city doesnt help bring solutions that make our communities safer. It starts with apprehending those who pull the trigger; police must make an arrest before a case reaches the courthouse door.

Far South Side Alderman Anthony Beale raised the demand for National Guard troops to be deployed to protect the wealthiest area of the city so that local police can return to occupying impoverished neighborhoods. He said, We need to bring in the National Guard to secure the perimeter of downtown and to work along with the police to free up more officers to come from downtown back into the communities, where we can help flood the communities where resources have been taken out of.

The Chicago City Council itself is populated with criminals. Alderman Carrie Austin, the second-longest-serving ward boss, is only the latest elected official to be arrested and charged with bribery. Earlier this year, Patrick Daley Thompson was named in a seven-count indictment for filing false tax returns and lying to insurance officials about $219,000 in loans and other payments hed received.

In January 2019, the citys longest-serving alderman, Ed Burke, was arrested and charged with attempted extortion. In the course of the investigation, Burke, a former Chicago cop, was ordered to remove 23 handguns and rifles from his City Hall and ward offices and turn them over to US Marshals. He currently awaits trial on federal racketeering charges.

None of this comes as a surprise, given the right-wing record of the Democratic Party, exemplified by both Biden and Lightfoot. Lori Lightfoot was the head of the Chicago Police Board, the Chicago Police Department Office of Professional Standards, and the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, where she represented the CPD in the lawsuits brought against it.

Biden, then a US senator, was an architect of the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Enforcement Act, also known as the Biden Crime Law. It established mandatory sentencing, which contributed to an explosion in the incarceration rate of poor and minority workers and youth. The United States as of 2020 had more than 2.2 million people locked up in state and federal prisons and local jails.

While calls by elected officials for the deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago has taken on a somewhat routine character over the years, the social crisis has dramatically intensified with the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers and youth must take the threat seriously and organize political opposition to the bipartisan policy of police repression.

The pandemic has brought to crisis levels the malignant social inequality in cities all over the US, and opposition to intolerable conditions is growing, indicated most clearly by the strikes currently taking place in major industries. Striking Volvo Trucks workers in Virginia were joined by their brothers and sisters in Ghent, Belgium, who carried out a wildcat walkout last week. Hundreds of Frito-Lay workers have walked out in Kansas City, and 2,500 Cook County health care and janitorial staff are now in the second week of a strike against the exploitative conditions imposed by the county, led by Democratic Party Chairwoman Toni Preckwinkle.

Biden, Lightfoot and other mayors of both big business parties speak for a political establishment that anticipates and fears growing political radicalization and social opposition to the exploitation and misery for the majority of the population at the hands of a capitalist class getting richer with each passing month.

The bipartisan policy in every city and state in the US is to bolster the police, the first-line repressive tool of the state, on behalf of the interests of the capitalist class. Through its representatives in the Democratic Party, the ruling class insists on a social policy thoroughly hostile to the most basic interests of the great majority of Chicagos population, battered by decades of low wages, slashed services and rising household debt.

The strikes by manufacturing and health care workers, and the memory of last years anti-police violence protests, terrify the wealthy and upper-middle classes. Instead of providing any form of social relief, the Democrats promote sectarian racialist politics aimed at confusing and dividing the massive and powerful multiracial and multiethnic working class against itself.

There are two Chicagos, as there are two cities in every major city: one for the wealthy and one for everyone else. A report by University of Illinois at Chicagos Great Cities Institute analyzing data from the 2017 American Community Survey found that approximately 45 percent of young black men in Chicago, ages 2024, were neither working nor in school. Almost 20 percent of Latino men in the same age group were neither working nor in school that same year.

The disinvestment and abandonment of the working class and poor neighborhoods of the south and west sides of Chicago have created the social distress that fuels the everyone for himself mentality and lack of hope for a better future that feed gang activity and recruitment.

The horrific social conditions in Chicago are a direct consequence of decades of Democratic Party rule in the service of the financial aristocracy. The working class must name its true enemy, the capitalist class, represented by both ruling parties.

The striking workers of Volvo, Frito-Lay and Stroger Hospital point to the solution to violence, unemployment and mass inequality: it must come about through the working classs united struggle for socialism. Billions must be appropriated from the banks and corporations. Resources need to be diverted from the military and police to provide jobs, health care and education for unemployed working class youth.

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Originally posted here:

Democrats plan increased policing and incarceration in response to lethal violence in Chicago - WSWS

Mary Lou Marzian, Honi Marleen Goldman and Maria A. Fernandez| Opinion contributors

Republican hypocrisy Can you hear us now?

Kentucky Republicans, along with those in other states, are passing laws to keep women and minorities "in their place."Just as the patriarchal mindset and laws were in the 1800s, these men still consider us as their property.

For example, women and Black peoplemust be stopped from voting because women and minorities are inferior to white men.Women need to be constantly pregnant so we cannot be in the workplace where women take jobs away from men.

So, while the Republicans in Washington, D.C., are trying to change what really happened on Jan.6 with their "alternate facts,"let us take a look at the hypocrisy of our own Kentucky legislature.After all, hypocrisy is the soul of Republican propaganda.

Hypocrisy No.1: Kentucky Republicans passed various laws taking away the governors ability to make executive decisions because they said that they wanted to make those calls.Now let us be reasonable would the Robert Stivers and David Osbornes of the world put through this legislation if there were a Republican governor?And let us also be realistic: The Kentucky Senate and House are in session four months each year with each member representing their own specific district.The governor is on the job 24/7 and represents all the people of Kentucky.So, if there is a statewide emergency that requires immediate action, who do you want to make that call?

Voting: Mitch McConnell is determined to block Democrats' voting rights efforts. Here's why

Hypocrisy No. 2:Voting suppression laws.We all know the real reason.These laws are only being passed by the Republicans (or being blocked by Mitch McConnell in the U.S. Senate) to keep women and Black peoplefrom voting.Their cry of preventing vote fraud is a ruse.Many women have jobs with long hours and day care situations.Getting to the polls is difficult without a car and/or dealing with child-care issues.This is not about "voter fraud" but making sure only the votes of the elite white men will be counted so that they can control the legislatures, which then can make even more laws to control women and minorities.

Hypocrisy No. 3.No commonsense gun laws.This should be a no-brainer, but instead has become an irrational rally cry.This is definitely not about the Second Amendment, but rather a red herring just to get GOP voters to the polls.The thousands of women, children and minorities whoare killed each year are their justified collateral for their misguided right of the Second Amendment.

Hypocrisy No. 4.Daniel Cameron is wasting taxpayer money just to improve his name recognition.Each frivolous court case that he files or signs onto cost thousands of our dollars.Not to mention the wasted hours of his staff.

Hypocrisy No. 5. The Kentucky GOP fought the governor on all the COVID restrictions, flaunted not wearing a mask and mandated that all legislators show up for hastily called votes in the Capitol.But these are the same elected officials who were the first to get the vaccine.Of course, they never acknowledged that Kentucky was a leader in the country by preventing more COVID deaths, because of the governor's mask mandates and closings.

Hypocrisy No. 6. The 2022 Elections.The Kentucky Republicans need to keep the seats they have in 2022 in order to redistrict out more Democratic legislators.Kentucky has been cited by numerous national groups forhaving the worst gerrymandered legislative districts in the country.So, these legislators come up with hundreds of outlandish bills in previous sessions, just so that they can tell their constituents what a great job they are doing.Legislators should not be choosing their voters.Democracy means the voters choose their representatives.

Related: Republicans in driver's seat for Kentucky redistricting process. Here's how it will work

Hypocrisy No. 7. Abortion laws.Is this not the epitome of southern white male ownership of women?Does anyone want to believe they care about a women's uterus versus being a flashpoint with their downright wrong medical terms like heartbeat laws and protection of infants born alive? Do these men even consider that the USA has the highest maternal death rate or that more women die from being pregnant and/or childbirth? Forgetthe medical doctors, the Republicans wanttheir constituents to be outraged enough to go vote to keep these stupid laws going until we all are Stepford wives and segregation is the law of the land again!

Hypocrisy No. 8.Republicanscryout against socialism, while every citizen of Kentucky enjoys socialism benefits like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and COVIDrelief packages.Not one of these Republicans (be it an elected official or voter) have ever refused these "socialistic" assistances programs.

Are you listening people?Your votes are being used to benefit only the lives of these white male legislators. The GOP has done nothing to make your life better.At what low point will you be outraged enough to vote them out of office? Wake up!

Mary Lou Marzian, a Democrat, is the Kentucky House representative for District 34. Honi Marleen Goldman and Maria A. Fernandez are community activists who have organized numerous grassroots movements on problems facing this community.

Link:

How hypocritical Republican lawmakers are trying to put women, minorities 'in their place' - Courier Journal

The threat of a fascist military coup in America that erupted to the surface with the storming of the US Capitol on January 6 has not ended; it has only just begun.

This is the only serious conclusion one can draw from the extraordinary order issued Thursday by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for a stand-down by the entire US military and its 2.1 million personnel to discuss the problem of extremism in the ranks.

The order followed a meeting between Austin, a retired general and former commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), civilian service chiefs and the uniformed Joint Chiefs of Staff which made clear that the Pentagon brass has no clear idea of the extent of the spread of fascist and white supremacist forces in the military, nor has it carried out any systematic effort to uproot them.

Following the meeting, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the Capitol coup attempt had been a wake-up call for the military. Extremism in the military was not an insignificant problem, he said, and the number of troops involved was not as small as anyone would like.

The meeting of the top brass convened by Austin follows reports that former and active-duty military personnel comprised up to one-fifth of those arrested for storming the Capitol building in an attempt to prevent Congress from certifying Joseph Bidens election as president and the defeat of Donald Trump.

It was clear from the Pentagon press conference that the senior command has no coherent plan for confronting the issue. We dont know how were going to be able to get after this in a meaningful, productive, tangible way, and that is why he had this meeting today, and that is certainly why he ordered this stand-down, Kirby said.

The stand-down, which is to be organized across the sprawling US military over the next 60 days, as yet appears to be conceived as little more than commanding officers delivering pep talks to their units professing the Pentagons opposition to extremism.

In no sense, clearly, will the stand-down signal any reduction in US military acts of aggression and provocation around the globe. On the contrary, the first weeks of the Biden administration have seen US warships stage provocative deployments in the Black Sea and the Strait of Taiwan, while US B-52 bombers are continuing their menacing overflights of the Persian Gulf.

The role of current and former military personnel in the January 6 events has emerged with increasing clarity over the past month. Among those killed in the coup attempt was Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt, shot by police as she attempted to break into the Speakers Lobby.

Among those criminally charged is Lt. Col. Larry Rendall Brock, a retired Air Force officer who broke into the Senate chamber holding zip ties, presumably intended for use in seizing members of Congress as hostages. Meanwhile, active-duty Army Captain Emily Rainey is under investigation for organizing buses to the Trump rally from the area of Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

In the storming of the Capitol, militias that recruit former and current soldiers, including most prominently the Oath Keepers, played a pivotal role, organizing military-style squads to breach the entrances to the building. Former military personnel in the Oath Keeperswhich continues to call for its supporters to fight against the communists and deep state traitors who have stolen the White Househave been charged with conspiracy, as have members of the Proud Boys, whom Trump infamously told to stand back and stand by.

Those participating in the physical storming of the Capitol were only the most visible military participants in Trumps coup plot. Retired Gen. Michael Flynn, Trumps first national security adviser, played a leading role in the stop the steal campaign based on the fabricated claims of a stolen election, which set the stage for the January 6 coup. He was a vocal advocate of Trump invoking the Insurrection Act and imposing martial law to overturn the election and establish what would have amounted to a presidential dictatorship.

Flynns extreme right-wing politics are undoubtedly shared by other senior officers still in uniform. Still unexplained by the Pentagon is the role played by his brother, Lt. Gen. Charles A. Flynn, who participated in the deliberations that led the Army to delay the dispatch of National Guard troops to the Capitol until the mayhem was over.

Trump clearly had a plan to utilize sections of the military and neutralize others in his attempt to overturn the election and hold onto power. In the immediate aftermath of his defeat at the polls, he carried out a wholesale purge of the Pentagons top leadership, installing extreme right-wing loyalists in key positions, headed by former Special Forces Colonel Christopher Miller.

Nearly a year before the election, Trump had demonstratively sought to curry favor with the militarys Special Operations personnel with his lionizing of, and pardons for, convicted war criminals like Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher.

There is no doubt that the Trump administration cultivated the growth of extreme-right and outright fascist elements within the military. The roots, however, run far deeper. They lie most fundamentally in the inextricably linked deepening of the crisis of US and world capitalism and the corresponding crumbling and disintegration of democratic forms of rule.

A key element in this process has been the inexorable growth of US militarism, as American capitalism has sought to offset its economic decline by increasing reliance on armed might. The result has been 30 years of uninterrupted war waged by Washington in the Middle East and Central Asia. The use of an all volunteer force to wage these wars, in many cases through multiple deployments, and the concentration of immense political power in the hands the Pentagons combatant commanders, has steadily eroded the constitutional principle of civilian control of the military.

In his brilliant June 1933 essay on the rise of Hitlers Nazis in Germany, What Is National Socialism?, Leon Trotsky wrote:

The banner of National Socialism was raised by upstarts from the lower and middle commanding ranks of the old army. Decorated with medals for distinguished service, commissioned and noncommissioned officers could not believe that their heroism and sufferings for the Fatherland had not only come to naught, but also gave them no special claims to gratitude. Hence their hatred of the revolution and the proletariat.

Among the 2.7 million military personnel who have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, there are doubtless not a few who share similar sentiments about their own sufferings in Washingtons dirty colonial-style wars having come to naught.

The alternatives posed in 1933socialism or fascismare the same ones that now confront the working class in the United States and internationally.

The combined threat of militarism and fascism is by no means a uniquely American phenomenon. From Germany to Brazil, Spain and across the globe, there is a growth of both fascist elements within the security forces and support by the military for fascistic movements.

The role played by the Democrats and Biden demonstrates the futility and danger in relying on any section of the capitalist ruling class, its parties or institutions to counter these threats or defend democratic rights.

Together with the media and virtually the whole of the pseudoleft, they have sought to cover up the high level conspiracy and role of the military in the events of January 6. Instead, Biden appeals for unity with his Republican colleagues who provoked and directly aided the coup attempt. They are united in a common defense of the interests of a ruling financial oligarchy and in the imposition of a homicidal policy that places profits above lives in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Defeating the threat of fascism and military dictatorship and the defense of democratic rights can be achieved only through the methods of class struggle and the fight for the socialist transformation of society.

See the article here:

Pentagon orders stand-down over fascist threat in US military - WSWS

By Richard KleebergSpecial to the Express

Socialism has become a controversial word; many people fear Socialism far more than pandemics, war or famine. But when people understand what modern Socialism is today, and see how it improves our Capitalistic system, they realize they actually do value, encourage and promote it.

The definition of Socialism has changed drastically since it was first proposed in the early 1800s. Socialism originally meant that the State would own or control both production and property. But modern Socialism, employed by democratically elected governments today in England, Denmark, Germany, Canada, Norway, Finland and France, is far different. It is a system designed to produce programs and projects for the good of the community, and a community safety net, all without impairing economic growth.

Today, Socialism, often called Democratic Socialism, is based on a foundation of Capitalism. There is no State ownership or control of production or property. Instead, the State (the government or the local community) collects taxes from everyone to expand the reach of Capitalism, and assist the community by providing social programs and services, paid for by all.

Our public library is an excellent example of Socialism. All taxpayers in the community help fund the library, providing this service to everyone in the community. The public library is not free it takes tax dollars to operate and it provides all of us with the opportunity to read books, and use computers, with no charge.

Our extensive national highway system is a Socialistic project, which was authorized in 1956, by Republican President Dwight Eisenhower. We all pay for this incredible highway system, whether we use it every day or never at all.

Our public water system in Winters is also Socialism. We each pay our share to build and maintain the City water system. And, as homeowners, even if we use absolutely no water at all, we still must pay a mandatory monthly fee.

Airports are another example. We are all taxed to fund our major airports, whether we fly weekly, occasionally or never at all. There is no entrance fee at the airport, but it is certainly not free. Whether you use it or not, the airport is good for the community.

The list of Socialistic programs and projects that work to improve Capitalism, and our community, is extensive. Modern Socialism is public schools, public parks, the Post Office, and our police and fire departments. Socialism is also bridges, garbage collection, Social Security and Medicare. And it is food stamps, our court system, prisons and museums. All are paid for by the entire community, for the benefit of the community, even if we never use them or participate.

So why does the word Socialism scare people? Because of politics and propaganda. Some people argue that Hitlers Nazis, (the National Socialist German Workers Party), were Socialists. Some say that the USSR (the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics) was Socialist. Both claims are false.

Germany and Russia both chose the word Socialist for its propaganda value. Neither the Nazis or the Russian Communists were Socialists at all they had no desire or intent to offer social services, to provide programs for the community, or to create a safety net for the common good. They chose the word Socialism because it appealed to the masses, who mistakenly believed their government was interested in helping lower-class workers.

We can see similar word propaganda in the official names of the former communist East Germany, and with North Korea today. East Germany called themselves the German Democratic Republic. And today North Korea is officially the Democratic Republic of North Korea. But we all know that East Germany was in no way a democracy or a republic, and of course, North Korea today is a terrifying dictatorship.

Modern Socialism improves our society because Capitalism, by itself, provides no community programs or projects, and offers no safety net for the less fortunate, the sick or injured, or for the elderly. Modern Socialism is not really scary at all; it needs to be expanded for it is a conscientious and ethical method to improve the lives of millions of people.

Continue reading here:

Just The Point: Do you really hate Socialism? Winters Express - Winters Express

The paranoid purge continues

The socialists need to convince us all now, that conservatives are domestic terrorists and white supremacists.

According to comrade Pelosi we are the enemy within Congress. The only hate speech allowed is that from the all-knowing socialists and big brother tech. I see that Facebook has recently canceled Pat Fischer comments on the Daily Record letters and defending her own. The comments from socialists too fake and nutty to write their own letters are all thats left in the comment section.

Im sure they are good people, just confused/conflicted. Intolerant socialists patting themselves on the back without dissent. No such thing as freedom of speech that does not agree with theirs. They always lose arguments when freedom is allowed to flourish. Freedom bad, government good. Females are males and males are females. We can build new energy sources, roads, and infrastructure without mining or fossil fuels. Vaccinate Gitmo prisoners first. Teach sex-ed in kindergarten. Make everyone else pay for worthless college indoctrination degrees and to have their children aborted. Rewrite history so we wont repeat it. And do it all for free. Now lets get loaded!

Not only do they need President Trump out of office, they need to destroy him and any others that believe America is great. Aint gonna happen socialists. Youre already so nervous you are now praising law enforcement. You are also vetting the National Guard for any that have supported Trump. You are pursuing a worthless unconstitutional impeachment and again on false accusations out of pure hatred. You have been inciting violence for the past four years! You talk of unity now?

That fence up around the Capitol is another one of your great ideas to unite us. Looks like any other totalitarian regime now. Heck, poor old Joe isnt even trying to run the office. You and your swamp are telling him what to do! We now have a fake president and fake news! If our elections have become corrupted, democracy of and for the people is finished. The socialists spent the last four years contesting our elections. With them in charge, we may never know now. Communist Russia and China are proud and happy America is last again. Oh well if it gets miserable enough in America, the illegals and others escaping socialism may decide to stay home instead.

We choose truth over facts J.Biden Doublespeak G.Orwell, 1984

Originally posted here:

Letter: The socialist agenda is running amok in the U.S. - Daily Record-News

Unlikely Nevada will have enough vaccine for near future

On Jan 11, 2021, governor Sisolak gave a news conference, aired on Channel 5, about the COVID-19 vaccination program in Nevada. It emerged that the state of Nevada had received 170,000 doses of vaccine since Dec 14, 2020, and that 61,000 have been used, leaving 109,000 in storage.

There are about 3 million residents in Nevada. If all residents were vaccinated twice, then 6 million doses would be needed. At 60,000 shots in the arm per month it would take about 100 months, or more than eight years to complete the vaccination program (or four years if we went with one dose)!

Now, that length of time is not likely because our health care system is currently under a terrible strain from the surge in COVID-19 cases. We will likely be able to devote more resources to vaccination when the surge abates. Also, we will learn how to be more efficient.

However, that being said, it seems highly unlikely that Nevada will be able to boost its vaccination rate to over half a million per month.

This would be about ten times the current rate, and needed to complete a one-dose program by end of June this year (HHS secretary Azar on Dec. 23 claimed this would be done). Even if we could do a half million per month we might be limited by supply from the manufacturers. Lets hope that as more vaccine manufacturers come online, and existing ramp-up production, supply will not be limiting.

Anyway, what I conclude is that the state will not be able to vaccinate enough people to provide a general immunity anytime soon. Maybe by the end of 2021. We are sensibly prioritizing health care workers, the elderly in nursing homes, and other essential workers for shots which should reduce the death rate faster than a first come-first served program.

George Tucker

Mail-in voting does not prove there was voter fraud

David Perlman in the PV Times on Jan 27, took the position that mail-in voting constituted the theft of the election. Yet, like Trump and others, he did not present one shred of evidence to prove his assertion.

At least 34 states, many of them like Florida, Ohio, Alabama, Kentucky, and Utah, states that Trump won, allowed mail-in voting. The Democrats, if they wanted to use the same tactics like Trump and Mr. Perlman, could assert that Trump lost these states because they allowed mail-in voting. Fortunately, our legal system does not allow assertions without evidence to rule our representative republic.

That is why Trump, in his 61 attempts to get a court hearing, many of the courts presided over by Republican judges, failed to even get a hearing on voter fraud.

Task Mr. Perlman to consider this hypothetical example. Suppose you were the Republican secretary of state in Georgia, a state that Biden narrowly won. The local prosecutor has just indicted you for aiding and abetting voter fraud. Wouldnt you demand the prosecutor to present proof,, which our legal system requires before a verdict could be considered, instead of unfounded hearsay?

No government has ever been perfect. Ours is no exception. But it is certainly much better than one that would be instituted by an angry, and in many cases, an ignorant mass of mobsters. Please, Mr. Perlman, lets keep what we have. Albeit, it is not perfect, many have died for it. Lets try to make changes through our peaceful democratic process..

I remember my college professor in history when he stated, throughout the ages it has been proven, time and again, that revolutions, seldom if ever make life better for the people at large. More often than not, they amount to one power structure replacing another one, which is worse for most of them.

Jim Ferrell

Trump impeachment is waste of time and money

Well, here we go again, our government wasting time and money with this ridiculous impeachment and trial. As I said in my letter a couple of weeks ago, it is a waste of time because Trump will be timed out before they can push him out.

The proponents claim that if he is convicted, which is highly unlikely, he will not be able to run for another federal office. What ex-president has ever sought that? None that I can remember.

This is just vindictiveness because the Democrats never got over Trump beating Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election after the polls said that she would win in a landslide. They hated him from day one and did everything they could to get in his way.

I read an editorial question in this newspaper, are we heading for another civil war? I think that its already here. We have left-wing radicals destroying cities, Portland and Seattle are examples, then there are right-wing radicals invading Washington, breaking into offices of politicians, breaking, and stealing property..

Biden won by a slim margin, which means that almost half of the voters voted for Trump. It would be nice to see Biden try to convince the Senate to refuse to go forward with the trial since some constitutional scholars claim that its unconstitutional anyway. Biden says that he wants to unite the country, stopping the Trump trial would be a first step to accomplish this.

George Cross

BLM plays crucial role in protection of conservation areas

President Biden has established the commendable goal of protecting 30 percent of our nations lands and waters by 2030. This could be a significant response to the mounting climate and extinction crises. However, achievement of this goal is questionable given the failure of federal agencies to protect some lands that should already be protected under existing laws.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages the most federal lands. It could play a crucial role in meeting this goal. Unfortunately, the BLM cannot do so because it has repeatedly proven unwilling to provide required protection.

The BLM continues to allow harmful commercial livestock grazing and other uses in many of its national monuments, national conservation areas, wilderness areas, and areas of critical environmental concern. Indeed, the BLM recently approved a controversial Northern Corridor Highway through its Red Cliffs National Conservation Area in southwest Utah. This approval goes against the statutory conservation purposes of this area, degrades lands acquired for permanent protection, jeopardizes Mojave desert tortoises, and destroys their legally designated critical habitat.

The BLMs dominant management culture is regressive, biased, and secretive. I know because I worked for them from 2002-2017. This culture persists, including during the eight Obama administration years. Managers tend to be most afraid of commercial interests, angry ranchers, and the politicians who support them. They allow political expediency to supersede the law, science, and public interest. Protection can be a mere word in legal documents when it is not effectively implemented.

To help achieve his important conservation goals, President Biden should fundamentally reform the BLMs dominant management culture.

Richard Spotts

Great Reset to address worlds most pressing problems

Few people have heard or are aware of whats being called the Great Reset. Its not really new and has been renewed and added changes and upgrades for many years, including new apostles. It was conducted in Davos, Switzerland by worldwide commerce leaders and world political leaders or by their representatives, including the USA.

They plan to address, what they feel, are the most pressing problems the world faces today.

First and foremost is global warming, next is inequity around the world. Theyre not interested in correcting these things through individual governments or individual international corporations, their plans resemble copying certain government action taken by various governments throughout history (even recent history) on a worldwide scale that all countries will need to conform to.

There may be some of these people who are naive true believers, but with a little thought, one can see the advantages of joining this worldwide Reset. There will be forms of dues to be paid and rules to be followed, but this will be well worth the protections received. For example, if they gain enough power on a global scale, competition, especially on a global scale, will disappear. Members will be only subject to their elected board, with little regard for individual countries rules and laws. These people realized how easy it was to control populations around the world because of the pandemic and knew it was time to make some bold moves towards these long-awaited plans.

They also realize they must gain a level of worldwide support, which can be accomplished by sprinkling some free stuff to various people in need along with a plethora of promises of the more good things to come. Some will regard these leaders as saints and saviors, a tactic that is seen through the pages of history, by sincere believers and tyrants alike. No doubt there will remain democratic practices such as voting, but true power will be in the international power structure. The results will not only affect small business by controlling their growth through regulations and tax policies that may be seen as competitive threats to the members dominance, but down to the individual by controlling one of the cornerstones of the free enterprise system, to which they have already declared Capitalism is dead. Chances are this would start out violently like the many times before in history, it will happen legally through things like increased property tax rates, or failure to comply with standards of energy compliance, not have the properly approved appliances. Which naturally you can only buy from members if this internal cabal.

Some of these things have taken place and are still taking place, the National Socialist Workers Party (the NAZIS), a refined form of the Communist Chinese Party, well know how successful it can be to have government and commerce work together for mutual benefits of each other in particular, as long as youre able to keep the masses under control. Its no different than George Orwells Animal Farm except on a world scale when after all the animals revolted against Farmer Jones and ousted him, all the animals were equal, some just more equal than others.

David Jaronik

Fascism could come to America in the name of liberalism

When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross, is a quote that is dubiously attributed to Sinclair Lewis, author of It Cant Happen Here. Written in 1935 at a time when fascist regimes were consolidating their power in Germany, Italy, and Spain. Lewis basically envisions a scenario where the United States becomes an authoritarian state through a president coming into power by embracing patriotism, traditional values, and economic and social transformation; and buttressed by a base of ultranationalist, religious fanatics, and xenophobes. He furthers his hold on power by suppressing a free and liberal press, and supporting a paramilitary that enforces the policies of the president and terrorizes all opposition. As prophetic aspects of this novel are in light of the January 6th attack on our Capitol and our democracy, we are not fully holding everybody who contributed to the big lie(s) accountable and reforming the infrastructure that breeds the big lies.

After challenges to the presidential election have been reviewed ad nauseum (repeated to the point of nausea) it would take a long stretch of the imagination to claim that the election was fraudulent, and all of our institutions and officials were complicit in a grand scheme. Thankfully, our courts, election officials and security experts did a remarkable job objectively calling the election. Either the adherers of fraud are choosing not to accept above any reasonable doubt the results because their man did not get enough votes and they are so distressed of the new administration that they will not accept the majoritys decision and jeopardize our democracy or they are mesmerized diehards that are completely entrenched in their beliefs and trust in Trump that nothing will enlighten them.

If fascism ever comes to America, it will come in the name of liberalism (60 Minutes December 1975), is a quote that is attributed to President Ronald Reagan. Although by liberalism he did not mean to liberate as Trump and his supporters of patriots promoted in the Save America rally, he has ironically identified a key tenet of Trumps supporters. It is a liberalism, under almost all circumstances that gives people the right to do whatever they chose, freedom without limits. Patriots apparently think it is alright to liberate states (by kidnapping governors), have freedom to not wear masks (as you endanger others), and now protest the steal (by violently attacking and murdering). Save America by destroying it is oxymoronic or just moronic if anything is.

President Ronald Reagan spent World War II as an Army captain in the first motion picture unit fighting fascism. In 1946 he began making speeches condemning fascism and communism. His speeches against fascism focused on the atrocities of World War II, Americas growing fascist movement, and the need to protect against racism and all forms of intolerance. President Reagans battle against communism coincided with the Cold War, his presentations exposed the oppressive character of communist regimes.

Scholars view fascism as capitalism run amok and communism as socialism run amok. Both are dictatorial, both engage in a high degree of propaganda, falsely elevating their leaders as saviors and protectors from an enemy that is not part of their group or an enemy that is foreign or an enemy that has opposite political views. Consensus among economists is that a mixed economy where capitalism plays its part and socialism plays its part is best, but neither has dictatorial power and both exist within the confines of a democratic state.

The Trump brand of fascism fits Sinclair Lewis characterization to a large degree. He is viewed as larger than life leader who for some has been sent by God, he is a strong man who is protecting his followers from non-Christian cultures, socialists, fake news, government intrusion, Second Amendment restrictions, satanical Democrats, and the list goes on. Fear-mongering and scapegoating are classic tools of fascists. Lies and exaggerations are basic.

On August 22 (1939), Adolf Hitler told his generals: I will provide a propagandistic casus belli (provocation used to justify war). Its credibility doesnt matter. The victor will not be asked whether he told the truth. (Wikipedia Propaganda in Nazi Germany) Thereby, justifying the invasion of Poland that led to the Second World War.

Trumps lies and exaggerations have led to our present state of pandemic denial and violent mobs.

Trump is no Rambo, no strong man or has he been sent by God. Inciting a mob, promising (a promise unfulfilled) to lead it to Congress and then condemning its action as heinous is duplicitous to say the least.

Media personalities, equivocal and unscrupulous politicians, and a biased mindset contribute to the Big Lies. Solutions to complex problems are made simple, or better yet, problems are denied that they exist. Willingness to propagate and accept unsubstantiated and false narratives, obviously, magnifies their existence. A proportion of the populace distressed economically and one that perceives to be threatened unrealistically by multiculturalism, socialism, government, mainstream media, poor immigrants etc. are easily swayed to scapegoat, demonize and accept conspiracies promoted by biased media and self-serving politicians.

Freedom of speech has a responsibility to be truthful. Just as it is illegal to create panic by falsely yelling fire in a theater, it should be illegal to stoke chaos and political polarity by spewing lies. Genuine policy disagreements are essential in our democracy and should be encouraged. Unfortunately, Hitlers view that credibility doesnt matter has taken hold in the American political and media spheres. Unfortunately, the only remedy to this, is restricting and regulating, coupled with litigation (Dominion threatening to sue Fox News for false stories) In England, a regulatory entity enforces rules on impartiality and accuracy. We may need something similar to assure that we do not radicalize but inform, to give us an unbiased and comprehensive presentation of news and issues.

The attack on Congress and our democracy has revealed a better insight and appreciation of what motivated Union soldiers, especially immigrants during the American Civil War after the siege of Fort Sumter. They had left tyrannical systems of government, fought against these systems and were not going to let attacks by insurrectionists on democracy and self-government be unanswered.

In a Times article history professor Don H. Doyle, author of The Cause of All Nations: An International History of the American Civil War writes: So it was civil war, but for many foreign-born soldiers and citizens, this was much more than Americas war. It was an epic contest for the future of free labor against slavery, for equal opportunity against privilege and aristocracy, for freedom of thought and expression against oppressive government, and for democratic self-government against dynastic rule. Foreigners joined the war to wage the same battles that had been lost in the Old World. Theirs was the cause not only of America, but of all nations. (Times magazine-The Civil War Was Won by Immigrant Soldiers Doyle, Don H, Dec. 23, 2019)

Those of us that came here as refugees because of repressive and totalitarian states and those of who inherited this democracy will not concede and have our vote discounted. We will defend the decision of our court system, and the majority of voters.

To quote President Reagan: Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means. (Brainy Quotes, Quotes of Ronald Reagan online).

The opposite of that is: War is not absence of conflict, it is the inability to handle conflict by peaceful means.

War has casualties. Those who support violence and armed insurrection need to assess the risk and benefit of their actions. We are all mortal, our lives are tenuous and war against the majority is likely to be futile and the consequences catastrophic.

Our vote, whether we are in the majority or in the minority, is sacrosanct, and is our connectedness to self-government. It is the majority vote that makes the final decision, and we, if are in the minority, are obliged to respect and defend.

George Peretsky

Go here to see the original:

Letters to the Editor - pvtimes.com

Riddled, burned and silenced by history: this was the life of the night witches, the Soviet scientists who fought the Nazis.

According to its etymological root, the word witch means wise woman. In the Celtic tradition, such reference was made to those who had a deep knowledge of the nature, the thought and being human. Throughout history, however, the word has acquired a negative connotation. The witches of the night, during the Second World War, unfairly fell under this category.

Airmen of the 588th Night Bombardment Regiment. Photo: TASS via .

Like many of its historical predecessors, a number of Soviet women engaged in science they fell prey to machismo. In this case, in the rigid scheme of National Socialism during the Third Reich. Like thousands of soldiers, these women carried the burden of being separated from their families by being enemies of National Socialism.

It didnt matter that they cut their hair and dressed up as men to pass as soldiers. Many of them suffered of sexual abuse and violence to bring down Adolf Hitlers army. According to the Russian researcher Lyuba Vinogradova, they were the key to end the hostilities of World War II:

The Germans did not have women as fighters in their army, let alone pilots. They were naturally very curious about the aviators. However, those who were caught were treated harshly .

Despite being an active part of the Soviet Army, many of them were riddled and burned alive as they fell prisoners. To verify their identity, they were stripped naked. Some were victims of rape and torture. Some, to avoid giving information, decided To shoot oneself before revealing anything.

We suggest: Krampus, the Christmas demon who kidnaps children to devour them

588th Night Bombardment Regiment. Serafima Amosova (left) and Rufina Gasheva. Photo: TASS via .

Despite the fact that many female warriors in the Soviet army were raped by their own comrades, the female aviators were a privileged group. They were even more prepared than many of the male soldiers, and had a remarkable knowledge of combat techniques and warfare.

At the time, they were so efficient and so feared that they earned the title of witches of the night: they shot down multiple Nazi bombers and successfully claimed more than one mission to weaken the German army. The tactic was so effective that more than a million women were recruited by the Red Army.

As sappers, manipulating war tanks and even as snipers, many of them claimed their place in history in a double fight: against the nazis, and against heteropatriarchal system of male oppression. At the end of the war, more than a hundred of them received the title of Heroines of the Soviet Union. Another 50, posthumously.

Piloting fighter jets or engaging melee in battle change against the enemy, the night witches were a lethal element of the USSR. They were students, peasants or workers, they actively participated in the communist youth against Hitlers troops. Today in Russia no distinction is made in honors for them, that shine like hardened national heroines.

Keep reading:

The day the Nazis turned Christmas into a Hitler cult

What is the most bombed nation in history?

More:

The 'witches of the night': the story of the female pilots who terrorized the Nazis - Explica

In the tropics, the day fades quickly and there is hardly any time for imaginative games among the lights and shadows of twilight. When a few years ago I set foot on Cuban soil for the first time, it was already dark in Havana. The few lights of the public lighting, between revolutionary posters and brand-new private business signs, brought to mind the first years of Perestroika, and the doubts, illusions and contradictions that we lived in the then Soviet Union.

Even knowing that the Cuban system withstood several tests of the same that came to overthrow European socialisms, and knowing several critical analyzes made from Cuba on the causes of the fall of the USSRI think many more than within the former Soviet Union itself , and some undoubtedly much more seriousI never stopped thinking about the risks, temptations, traps and hopes that are found, coexist and confront each other on an island that continues to throw into the world infinite questions and that, being a main knot of the struggles, dreams and nightmares of recent history, refuses to be a caricature of the last century.

This conversation with Julio Csar Guanchea Cuban lawyer, historian and analystcomes after an agreement between friends from Russia, Ukraine and Chile. For a long time, we have been talking informally about Cuba with the directors of three independent left-wing mediathe Ukrainian magazine Liva (banned in their country), the Russian magazine Skepsis and the international news agency Pressenzaand we decided to pass our questions on to someone of Cuba with whom we could agree on the concern and especially sensitivity.

We thank Julio Csar Guanche for this conversation, because in addition to the trust he generates in us, we believe that he is one of the best connoisseurs of these issues. With this interview that we will divide into two parts, we hope to open a space for exchange and reflection, which will be our humble contribution to solidarity with the beloved Cuban people.

We understand that the period of greatest development of the Cuban process was framed by the relations with its main political ally, the USSR. But we also understand that there has always been, at least in culture, an important degree of autonomy with respect to the Soviet model.

The Soviet influence in Cuba is not reducible to socialist realism. Cinema, literature, concert music, ballet, artistic education, translation work, coming from the USSR, were used by Cuban culture. Without taking into account this positive influence, the explanation of the Cuban culture of the 1960s loses its depth.

Crossovers and influences are always complex processes. Works of socialist realism (The Volokolamsk Road, A Real Man) influenced a current of Cuban narrative, known as of violence (Jess Daz, Norberto Fuentes, Eduardo Heras), which in turn did not respond to socialist realism. The debate on the architecture of the National School of Art, or controversies around films such as Una pelea cubana contra los demonios and Un da de noviembre, are not reduced to positions for or against socialist realism, as various referents intervened in them.

In the 1960s, the Cuban artistic avant-garde, in plastic arts, concert music, theater, dance, literature, photography, showed great critical capacity. In a great many of the cases, it was not expressed as a questioning of revolutionary politics, but rather was based on it, while being critical. Compared to the socialist art of other geographies, it had institutional backing as well as space for experimentation and for dialogue with the best of Western art.

On the other hand, socialist realism did not exist in Cuba as an official aesthetic doctrine, as a mandatory reference for everything. Of course, it permeated and did a lot of damage. Institutions such as the Havana International Festival of New Latin American Cinema, the Casa de las Amricas, the National Ballet of Cuba or the Casa del Caribe in Santiago de Cuba, were bulwarks against socialist realism, but the level and scope it reached and how it marked the future of Cuban culture, its modes of expression, the lives of the creators and the formation of the public cannot be underestimated.

And does socialist realism have any influence today?

Strong contents of the culture of socialist realism exist in the country, visible in anti-intellectualist discoursesconsolidated by Stalinism, but with broader sources and previous to it in Cuba, in the pedagogical vocation that some demand of art, in the difficult place that the circulation of criticism proper of intellectual discourses has, or in the marked separation that exists between university, general education, intellectual world and circuits of access to the public.

However, its been a long time since avant-garde cultural expressions, whether they have institutional support or lack thereof, have shown a strong critical charge regarding the problems of Cuban society and its institutions, and they have nothing to do with the dogmas of socialist realism.

On this horizon, the recoveries of previously marginalized intellectuals, which have taken place from the 1990s onwards, have multiplied. In contrast, even the intellectuals who produced the most sophisticated notions of socialist realism, such as Mirta Aguirre, have been forgotten.

Attempts to rehabilitate officials committed to the politics of socialist realism, such as Luis Pavn Tamayo and Armando Quesada, provoked a huge wave of repudiation in 2007. The ideologues of what was called the gray five-year perioda concept that qualifies as the worst period of Soviet influence in Cuba (1971-1976) 1contribute nothing to the Cuban present. Their followers are careful to quote them.

On the other hand, there are visions that reduce culture to artists and writers, that treat the literate city as the privileged seat of critical consciousness about society, or defend essences of nationality that must be protected by the creators. They are simplified visions, with little social understanding of how culture is produced, and that dont know how part of Cuban intellectual discourses are not connected with social agendas of peremptory importance, or how, in contrast, critical discourses remake the bases of what we will understand by Cuban culture.

Is this Soviet influence still seen in the political debates of the left in Cuba?

Marxism-Leninismthe Stalinist formula of Marxismhas long been repudiated by many. Critical Marxism; contemporary currents of critical thought that are nourished by Marxism but arent limited to it; feminisms, anti-racism and environmentalism, the decolonial approach, left-wing republicanism, among others, are referents of the Cuban debate on democracy within the Cuban left. The identity of these lefts is not reduced to their position with respect to the State, since they also have differences among themselves. For its part, the Cuban State doesnt recognize or dialogue with a great deal of them.

There are orthodox attempts, official or para-official, to disqualify areas of these lefts, but they swim against the current: they have few and coarse referents to sustain themselves and they are forced to go through a huge amount of theoretical vicissitudes, of which the old recourse, of Stalinist descent, of condemning as enemies, with a vocation to restore capitalism is not alien, to a large number of actors who follow such critical references on socialism and democracy.

What do you think was the influence of Stalinism on the Cuban revolutionary leadership?

Your question refers, I understand, to people within the leadership. I have to ignore here contexts and discussions that structurally framed the positions of that leadership vis--vis the USSR, such as the discussions around Titos Yugoslavia, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Sino-Soviet conflict or the geopolitics of the Cold War. I also need, for space, to ignore the theoretical discussion on what to understand by Stalinism. For this reason, I respond with a perhaps broad focus on what I consider that presence and influence on the Cuban leadership.

If we are dealing with people, this is a description of some of those positions. Blas Roca led the first Communist Party of Cuba for decades (for three decades called the Popular Socialist PartyPSP) and later he was a senior leader of the Communist Party of Cuba (current) and presided over the National Assembly of Peoples Power (ANPP).

Before 1959, Rocas party lavished statements in favor of Stalinism. Ral Roa Garca, a non-party socialist before 1959, was very critical of the little red father. Later, he was a brilliant Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Revolution and later vice president of the ANPP, right next to Roca.

By the 1960s, the term Stalinism was not very common in official Cuban discourse, but there was a strong discussion between pro-Soviets and critics of real socialism. In other words, it meant taking sides with the Stalinist legacy. Among senior leaders, or intellectuals representative of the revolutionary process, such as Carlos Rafael Rodrguez and Juan Marinello, there was open support for the USSR, as well as a high level of political and intellectual analysis.

At the same time, other leaders of the process, such as Armando Hart, Alfredo Guevara or Ricardo Alarcn, were never characterized for praising Stalinism. In some cases, they were even public critics, as is the case of Alfredo Guevara.

Within what has been the highest revolutionary leadership, there are differences.

In 1957, Ernesto Che Guevara held a polemica demonstration of the ideological diversity of the Cuban insurrectional movementwith the also revolutionary Ren Ramos Latour in which the latter placed Che behind the iron curtain, that is, ascribed to the world of what would later be called real socialism.

In the early 1960s, Che Guevara defended before K.S. Karol the need for the use of Soviet manuals. However, he would soon distance himself from the politics and ideology of the USSR. Che was one of the few socialist leaders who in the second half of the 20th century mentioned Trotsky and Stalin together, to defend the need to study them both.

The figure of Fidel Castro surely requires more space in this description you are making.

Fidel Castro, before 1959, because of his militancy, first, in the Cuban Peoples Party (Ortodoxo Party), which had a left wing, with some Marxists, but was generally quite critical of the USSR; for his broad spectrum readings; and for his statements throughout the revolutionary struggle of the 1950s, he was a democratic nationalist. At that time, this meant having commitments to socialism and democracy, which collided with the political imagination of the USSR.

Throughout the 1960s, this position was specified in notions such as revolution without ideology, revolution green like the palm trees, or in slogans of the type we want freedom with bread and bread without terror. Fidel Castros support for the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia (1968) was conditional; it was not an uncritical surrender to the USSR: he demanded that that power defend other socialist projects at war with the United States, such as Vietnam and Cuba, and described that invasion as being contrary to international law.

The Padilla case (1971) put the concept of Stalinism in the foreground for Cuba.2 The famous first letter from foreign intellectuals critical of this case was positioned against what they understood as acts typical of Stalinism in Cuba.

The entry of Cuba to the CAME and the closer relations with the USSR brought other contents. From then on, Fidel Castro would celebrate more openly the experience of real socialism, but not of Stalinism, which, moreover, did not happen that way in the USSR after 1956, either because of de-Stalinization, or for the survival of Stalinism without Stalin.

The Diccionario de pensamientos de Fidel Castro (Dictionary of Fidel Castros thoughts; 2008), doesnt mention the term Stalinism as part of his thought. In the last years of his public life, Fidel Castro commented to Ignacio Ramonet (2006): The phenomenon of Stalinism did not occur here; a phenomenon of this nature of abuse of power, of authority, of cult of personality, of statues, etc. was never known in our country. In a reflection on Lula da Silva, Fidel critically listed deeds committed by Stalin.

And Ral Castro? And the current younger leadership?

Ral Castros thought has been much less studied than that of Fidel and Che. It doesnt contain criticism of Stalinism or the USSR. Usually, ties to the PSP and continued acceptance and support of that countrys policy are recognized. Nikolai Leonov wrote a biography (2015) about his friend Ralthey have been friends since 1953in which Leonov doesnt question several of the assumptions of Stalinism for relations with Latin America at that stage. Brian Latell (2005) has assured that Khrushchev believed Ral had been his man in Havana, while Hal Klepak (2012) assures that Ral follows the Cuban tradition, more closely based on the thought of Jos Mart than that of Marx, Lenin, or Stalin.

The current generations that have succeeded the historical leadership of the Revolution, such as President Miguel M. Daz-Canel Bermdez, dont have Stalinism, nor reflection on it, within their vocabulary. A new chapter in the interpretation of Cubas historical relations with the USSR is about to be reworked, now through the prism of relations with Russia. A metaphor for this can be found in the Russian support for the reconstruction of the dome of the National Capitol.

What would be a minimum balance of relations between the USSR and Cuba?

Discussions about how to deal with the Soviet experience and Stalinism are known as milestones in Cuban Marxist thought after 1959. For example, the debates of the Department of Philosophy of the University of Havana against the use of Soviet manuals, or the exchanges of Alfredo Guevara with Blas Roca on socialist realism, both in the 1960s.

Other types of thinking of that time, such as the approaches of Lunes de Revolucin, and books such as Los Siervos, by Virgilio Piera, or Fuera del Juego, by Heberto Padilla, were clearly anti-Stalinist. Later, Stalinism had an influence in Cuba, but a balance would also recognize the resistance against it and the weight of the Cuban cultural tradition, and of its makers, in this resistance.

The relations with the USSR yielded important advantages: crucial support to the national economy, decisive contribution to the construction of the first welfare state in Latin America (as documented by Hans-Jrgen Burchardt)for access to social rights, cultural and services infrastructure, etc.,and the underpinning, even with contradictionsof the Cuban revolutionary foreign policy.

It also brought great problems: following a criterion of directed economy, without democratic planning or control by workers over the production process, with high levels of inefficiency and waste of resources, and the bureaucratization of economic processes.

From the political point of view, it underpinned the notion of State of all the people, a term that was not assumed in Cuba, but its content was: limitation of popular control and the possibilities of contesting state decisions, the synonymy between State and Revolution, the translation of notions such as internal enemy (for example, counterrevolutionaries), the disavowal of criticism and political self-organization and the criminalization of all opposition, together with the celebration of the single party as exclusive possibility of socialism.

The formula Marxism-Leninism like that, with a hyphenwas taken out of the constitutional text in 2019. The 1976 Constitution had used it as a state ideology, but it had also incorporated features of the Peoples Power system that were alien to the Soviet experience. What was done in 2019 with this concept of Stalinist origin is a good path, but it is symptomatic of the long march that the culture of Soviet socialism has experienced in Cuba and of the course its refutations have followed.

(To be continue)

Notes:

1 The expression Gray Five-Year Period refers to a disastrous serious period of censorship in Cuban culture, marked by a dogmatic and repressive vision, which marginalized many writers and artists from public spaces. It was largely rectified with the creation of the Ministry of Culture and the appointment of Armando Hart as minister. To read more about this concept, this text by Ambrosio Fornet is useful. (Note by Oleg Yasinsky)

2 Poet Herberto Padilla was arrested on March 20, 1971 after his recital of critical poems at the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba. He was imprisoned for 38 days. He was released, renouncing under pressure his previous ideas. Then he left the country. His imprisonment meant the first great conflict of the Cuban government with well-known intellectuals of the world left, sympathizers of the revolution who came out in defense of Padilla. Among them, signatories of the mentioned first letter, Julio Cortzar, Simone de Beavoir, Carlos Fuentes, Jean-Paul Sartre, Juan Rulfo and others. (Note by Oleg Yasinsky)

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Defense of the revolution is defense of democracy (I) - OnCubaNews

Anti government? Then return stimulusIn 1986, Ronald Reagan famously quipped, The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, Im from the government, and Im here to help.I wonder if those who got a chuckle from that gibe are willing to send back their stimulus checks and refuse the COVID-19 vaccine to demonstrate their commitment to that idiotic anti-government ideology.Fred ComoBurnt Hills

Belief in lies and liars fed Capitol riotIts been almost three months since the election and more than three weeks since the attack on the Capitol. Ive read and thought a lot about what happened and have come to the following observations and conclusions.1. The failure of over 60 lawsuits claiming voter fraud supports the conclusion that the presidential election was a fair election.2. Despite no proof otherwise, tens of millions of Trump supporters still believe the election was fraudulent.3. Once a belief is adopted, changing it is next to impossible.4. People tend to believe a lie that is constantly repeated, especially if the liar is a person or group they admire.5. Theres often another issue other than voter fraud such as abortion, regulations, taxes, racism or trust in government that influences support for the liar.6. In order to bridge the countrys political divide, these peripheral issues must be recognized and addressed.7. For many, the belief in a lie can be changed only if the chief liar or group of liars admit their error.8. Continually repeating the truth and supporting it with facts may change the minds of some of the lie believers.9. Closet believers of the lie who are in the government, military or police, must be exposed.10. Holding all liars and lie believers accountable for their actions is necessary to maintain law and order and retain our democracy.11. The lies and actions of President Trump and his cadre instigated the attack on the Capitol.Charles RiellyAltamont

Not buying cable for the commercialsI subscribe to a cable service because I want to watch the TV shows I like. Has anyone counted the commercials that come on between the show breaks?I have and Ive counted between seven to 15. It is so unbelievable that there are so many.I would imagine that the advertisers pay big bucks to the networks to air their ads. Then the cable companies have to pay the networks to carry their shows.Why do the cable companies have to pay so much when the networks are making so much money that our cable bills are so high?The cable companies could add more shows if some of the commercials were eliminated. I pay for cable to watch TV shows, not commercials.Janet NearyScotia

Need accountability in Niskayuna school planIn my 35 years as a commercial real estate broker, Ive been involved in hundreds of millions of dollars in real estate acquisitions and dispositions, including numerous build to suit and repurposing projects of significant scale.These involved office and warehouse product valued in the tens of millions of dollars. In each case, specific programs, negotiated and agreed to by all parties involved, established parameters for completed and cost-effective projects. This provided the baseline for funding the transaction.With regard to the capital project currently being contemplated by the Niskayuna school district, Ive seen no outline or structure presented other than a broad declaration of wishes for redevelopment. The fact that the administration is asking for the funding to be approved prior to outlining specific details of projects is troubling to say the least.Im not endorsing this project. Not because I find it to be unworthy, but because I see unaccountability as the first casualty of the process.Peter StruzziNiskayuna

St. Clares retirees need pensions nowThe St. Clares Hospital retirees had a chance to make something of themselves. Unfortunately, their lives were put on hold due to a pension collapse at the St. Clares Hospital.Now instead of living the dream in their retirements, they all are facing their futures with an uphill fight to recover their pensions. Instead of happy days they have had to live through two years of fighting for their pensions, plus hoping one day they in the near future they will all have their pensions so they can all live their lives again.Make no mistake, all these loyal workers have done nothing wrong to have to be tortured day after day with the side effects that could lead to major health issues if they can live long enough to recover their pensions. They all need their pensions now before someone gets hurt.Walter Neal BrazellRotterdam

Executive orders violate ConstitutionExecutive Orders Article 1, Section 1 of the Constitution clearly restricts the power to make laws: All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States. Presidential executive orders are clearly legislative powers. We oppose the use of presidential executive orders that make law. This subversive practice must be stopped.What is the difference between a law and executive order?Such orders carry the same force of law as executive orders, the difference between being that executive orders are aimed at those inside government, but proclamations are aimed at those outside government.What is an executive order and who can overturn it?Congress may try to overturn an executive order by passing a bill that blocks it. But the president can veto that bill. Congress would then need to override that veto to pass the bill. Also, the Supreme Court can declare an executive order unconstitutional.The president, by executive order, halted the Keystone pipeline.There are several particulars outside government that should be addressed. The union workers on this project are not federal employees. There are many contracts between Canada and several states and Native Americans that must be honored. This order has affected many outside government control that the Supreme Court may declare unconstitutional.The current Republicans should sue the government to get this executive order overturned as unconstitutional. There may be others that may be unconstitutional as well.William D. WildaySchenectadyThe writer is chairman of the Constitution Party of New York.

Frightened for the future of democracyAt first, my focus was the meeting of Kevin McCarthys visit with Mr. Trump to secure his help in winning back control of Congress. McCarthy rightly condemned Mr. Trumps action in inciting his supporters to stop the democratic electoral process. Now he is soliciting his help in rallying his revolutionary followers to help the Republicans to take back the House, and maybe also the Senate.But because of recent events, I have to change the focus to my fear for democracy in America.Sen. Lindsey Graham stated that an impeachment trial would split apart the Republican Party, not split apart America. All they care about is gaining power to hinder President Biden.We have conspiracy QAnon, rebellious members and revolutionaries in Congress disobeying the congressional rules and attempting to carry guns. What are they expecting, a shootout to force their will upon their colleagues? Why shouldnt I fear?It scares me that they are trying to utilize Trump supporters to win back control; those same kind of supporters who committed sedition against the United States.Obviously, they dont want to see him impeached.Yes, I am scared. I hope that my destiny shields me from the terror and agonizing torment that will soon encompass America. I hope that I am not here to witness the catastrophic decline of the United States of America at the hands of rebels and traitors.God Bless America.Andy LavigneWaterford

Hating all the hatred directed at TrumpI am appalled at all the vicious hate that has been written to this newspaper in Letters to the Editor against President Trump. The America I once knew is gone.1. In America now, if you express your opinion in favor of President Trump, you are in need of a re-education camp.2. Black Lives Matter, but white, Caucasian is looked down upon.3. You can no longer say mother, father, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, etc.4. If you speak against homosexuals (LGBTQ), you are homophobic.5. Men claiming to be women can now compete with women in sports.6. Defund the police.I could go on and on.Riots at the Capitol, but BLM and Antifa protests, in which buildings were burned and destroyed, were peaceful demonstrations, according to some Democrats.The news and media are ALL one-sided against President Trump.Well, now we have Biden/Harris in the White House, lets see what they will do to further bring America down. I wonder if we will get any hate-filled letters against Biden/Harris, or will they be love letters.Audrey SaltsmanJohnstown

Welcome new future with arms wide openAnd a 22-year-old poet shall lead us up and out of the dark, dangerous, deceptive and despotic four-year abyss. Poetry is truth. Truth is beauty.Let us, with arms, hearts and minds wide open, welcome the beauty and promise of the new day just peeking over the horizon.Virginia MeeAmsterdam

Show nurses that you care: Take precautions

The Mohawk Valley Nurses Association wishes to express our support of our fellow nurses, and all who are working so hard on the front lines with them, in our local hospitals, doctors offices, health clinics, nursing and adult care facilities, schools, home health agencies and public health offices to ensure residents in our communities get the care they need during this COVID-19 pandemic.We ask everyone in these communities to say Thank you to these nurses and health care providers and show their support of them by wearing a mask, washing their hands, social distancing and working towards a post-covid future.Our nurses and health care teams are great! Show them you care!Judy KellyFultonvilleThe writer is president of the Mohawk Valley Nurses Association Board of Directors.

New state senator welcomes inputAs the newly elected state senator of the 46th Senate District, my job, first and foremost, is to be a resource for you, the people who sent me to Albany.Here on Team Hinchey, we have an open-door policy, which means that we spend a lot of time meeting with constituents to learn about the issues that matter most to our communities and finding ways we can work together to address local needs.Constituent services are at the core of everything we do, and its important to us that you know exactly how to reach us.In our first few weeks in office, weve done everything from help people recover their unemployment benefits, worked to fix our local roads, and fought for clean water infrastructure in our communities.Were here to be a resource for you. You can contact us if you need assistance locating food or health services, applying for small business assistance, solving an issue with your utility company, or any other number of matters where the State can be helpful.If you think we can help with a problem youre facing or just want to share your thoughts on an issue thats important to you, give us a call or send me an email. We can be reached at 845-331-3810, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Assistance is available in both English and Spanish.To contact me directly, email[emailprotected]. See you around the district!SEN. Michelle HincheyKingston

First Amendment governs governmentIn his Jan. 30 letter to the editor (Dems want to deny free speech to right,) Mr. Dave Edwards was upset about Amazon keeping Parler offline, citing it as an example of free speech being stifled.Hes mad that a federal judge wont let Amazon do what it wants.So lets be clear about what Mr. Edwards is advocating: He wants a federal judge to tell an American corporation how to run its business. In short, he wants the government not the marketplace to pick winners and losers. That would be a form of state socialism.In the 1930s, it was called National Socialism, and we know what that led to.The First Amendment guarantees only that the government cannot abridge our right to speak freely. It says nothing about corporations.I am no lover of Amazon, but I am shocked that someone like Mr. Edwards, who appears to have conservative leanings, should want the government, in the person of a federal judge, to tell any American business what it can and cant do.As for Parler, its hard to work up sympathy for them, since the internet offers any number of alternative platforms that welcome even the most vile forms of speech. People who hate have no trouble finding digital outlets for their malice.Frank DoneganSchenectady

Protect your heart by curbing your drinkingFebruary is the month of love. Every store is adorned with hearts of all kinds: chocolate hearts, sweethearts, stuffed hearts, you name it and, surely, they have it in heart form.However, amongst all these hearts and all the bubblegum pink candy-coated love, the one heart that is not in focus this month is your own.Now women, I am talking to you here. According to the CDC, over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including high blood pressure [and] heart disease.Yet, throughout the course of the pandemic, women have increased their heavy drinking episodes by 41%. Heavy drinking episodes are defined as consumption of four or more drinks within a couple of hours.Before you go out this month to buy candy hearts for the ones you love, give yourself a little love and consider your drinking habits.Are your current habits unhealthy or are they becoming unhealthy? Put your heart first. You only get one and you cant replace it on the candy store shelf.Limit the amount you drink to healthy serving sizes and dont increase your risk of getting heart disease. If you are struggling to cope with changes and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, reach out and ask for help instead of refilling your glass.There are many resources in the community including those at New Choices Recovery Center where you can seek help for excessive drinking.Dakota T. Torales MaxwellSchenectadyThe writer is a prevention coordinator at the New Choices Recovery Center.

Support Fair Trade to protect workersWith Valentines Day coming consider this: Americans love chocolate, consuming a combined 2.8 billion pounds per year. Put another way, thats over 11 pounds per person. Needless to say, chocolate is a major industry. But being a major industry can come at a major environmental and social justice cost.Fortunately for those who seek to lessen their footprint can do so while also doing what is right for workers: Fair Trade.When a product carries a Fair Trade Certified label, it means producers were paid wages that allow them to support their families and contribute to the betterment of their communities.Fair Trade farmers deal one-on-one with importers (rather than middlemen), and Fair Trade encourages democratic decision-making, transparency, gender equity, and independence.By choosing Fair Trade, we can support the environment, too. Since Fair Trade supports small-scale farmers, it encourages biodiversity, for example, the shade-grown practice to produce coffee and cocoa helps protect wildlife habitats. Fair trade also encourages sustainable practices like organic farming.Theres no need to sacrifice quality with Fair Trade either; one emphasis of Fair Trade is supporting farmers in improving the quality of their crops.So this Valentines Day, share your love of neighbor (the workers) and Mother Earth and look for Fair Trade products.Bill BrooksGlenville

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Letters to the Editor Saturday, Feb. 6 - The Daily Gazette

Resolution based on the report and discussion of the National Committee, January 23, 2021. Adopted by the National Board, February 3, 2021

Our country is at a turning point moment, but this has to be fought for and won. We are at this moment because of the large-scale resistance and organizing, strikes, and uprisings over the last four years.

We have to continue to focus on fighting the right-wing danger while keeping our eyes on the prize of responding to working-class and peoples needs building the unity required to defend democracy against the fascist threat and demanding transformative change. The doors are wide open to organize the unorganized and build a movement of the unemployed.

During the first 100 days, grassroots pressure will be crucial to overcome obstruction, filibuster, and further coup attempts. Pressure is crucial to win emergency relief, undo the harm and move forward for the needs of the multi-racial working class to address the crises of COVID-19, the economy, systemic racism, and climate change. In our states and communities we will organize to:

1. Enact the $1.9 trillion comprehensive COVID relief package, $2,000 individual relief, a $15 minimum wage, relief for renters and student debt, and aid to states and municipalities.

2. Expose and halt fascist forces including a special all-peoples commission to determine how the coup attempt on January 6 was funded, organized, and executed. Removal from office of those who participated.

3. Pass the PRO Act to remove barriers to workers organizing into unions, massive green infrastructure job creation, racial justice equity, and all the measures in the Workers First Agenda put forward by the AFL-CIO.

4. Support the seven planks of the Peoples Agenda developed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus with the Poor Peoples Campaign, including legislation to dismantle racism, restore and expand the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act, enact statehood for the District of Columbia, create a just immigration system, hold corporations accountable, and shift funds from military to human needs.

5. Continue our efforts to build a united movement of the unemployed by working with all affected and their organizations and communities.

The Communist Party fights for and celebrates those measures that benefit workers and the people, and opposes those that do not. We cannot abide a progressive policy domestically and an imperialist one abroad.

We as the Communist Party should quickly issue our own Emergency Relief Unity Program that embraces the movements demands, includes everyone regardless of immigration status, holds finance capital and capitalism responsible and offers a working-class foreign policy.

We are committed to the long, hard, persistent educational, ideological, and political work it will take. We are not giving up on any section of our class. While addressing economic and social problems, we must stand up and expose racism, sexism, homophobia, and anti-communism, all staples of the GOP campaign.

Systemic and institutionalized racism, poverty, and war are embedded in the profits-first capitalist system. The crises we face are reflective of corporate greed and domination that drives the capitalist system. As Communists we welcome those into our ranks who want to work together for socialism to achieve a more democratic, humane, and sustainable society.

We are committed to uphold our proud legacy and current growth to build the Communist Party, YCL, and Peoples World boldly. Were preparing to run candidates, and were going to be out on the street, campuses, and workplaces for the 100 days and beyond to put people and planet before profits..

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100 days for a better world: Resolution of the CPUSA National Board - Communist Party USA

Congresswoman Lauren Boeberts first teleconference town hall got off to a rough start Thursday night when two early callers accused her of treason and affiliating with white supremacists.

Boebert, a Rifle Republican who won election to Colorados 3rd Congressional District in November, talked with constituents for nearly one hour.

One initial caller asked her why she was photographed in the past with people allegedly flashing white supremacy symbols. That was a reference to a photo of Boebert posing with members of the American Patriots III% and Bikers for Trump at a gun rally in Denver in December 2019.

Maam, Im sorry youve been deceived by conspiracy theories, Boebert responded.

A few minutes later, a woman identified as Nicole from Pueblo asked, When you are tried for treason, which prison do you want to do your time in?

Boebert and the moderator quickly dismissed the question and moved on to the next person. For the remainder of the event, Boebert was mostly thrown softball questions from people who expressed support for her.

Boebert sent a tweet at 2:52 p.m. Thursday announcing the town hall. Interested people were directed to register at a website. Registration was closed at 4:15 p.m., three hours before the event.

Mark from Montrose thanked Boebert for everything she has done for the Western Slope and 3rd District. He said she is standing up for Constitutional rights, including the right to bear arms, which he said is constantly under attack.

For those who oppose you and those who criticize you on this town hall meeting, its going to do nothing but rally the base and we are going to come out in full force with lots of money to support you, to re-elect you, the caller said.

Boebert thanked him and called his comments sweet.

I want to let you to know I am doing everything I can to promote the things that matter most to Americans right now, Boebert said. We need to open our economy. We need to get businesses open. We need to have our schools open. These are all things that are very important. I think were all kind of over the politics of personal destruction.

Sarah from Monte Vista said she had intended to ask the Congresswoman what has been the most frustrating aspect of her job, but that came apparent listening to the criticism of some callers. Im so sorry you have to deal with those things, the woman said. She asked what Boebert would say to her critics.

I think my message would be that I wake up every morning fighting for freedom and prosperity, Boebert said. I want every American to have every opportunity and more than I had. I want our children to grow up in a free nation. I dont want socialism for our children. I dont want government to step in and say they know best and they know how to run our lives better than we do. The American people are smart and sometimes it feels like government doesnt trust its people, and so Im hear to be that voice. Im not a politician.

Boebert continued to say she is motivated to help the people of the district and that attacks wont intimidate her.

Please note that the negativity, the attacks, its not deterring me, Boebert said. I pray for those who are in opposition. Its OK, and I understand its not unique to me and I hope you all understand that as well.

A lot of these attacks that youre seeing, theyre cookie cutter and theyre occurring across the nation, unfortunately to good people who are in this for the right reasons, to serve, Boebert continued. Im not letting that distract me from the work I was sent here to do.

Please note that the negativity, the attacks, its not deterring me. I pray for those who are in opposition. Rep. Lauren Boebert

In addition to taking audience comments and questions, Boeberts team asked the telephone audience to answer poll questions and she outlined her legislative agenda.

Boebert said she is excited to serve on the House Natural Resources Committee.

Ill pursue policies that increase access and ensure multiple-use for sportsmen and other public land enthusiasts, she said. Ill allow for responsible energy production while protecting the environment, reduce our dependency on rare earth and critical minerals from China where we know that child and slave labor is often used, empower tribes, increase storage and protect precious water supplies and promote job creation while removing unnecessary regulations and red tape.

She also serves on the Budget Committee, where she will work to reduce the national debt.

America is nearly $28 trillion in debt, she said. The federal government doesnt have a revenue problem. The federal government has a spending problem. It is far past time that Congress gets its fiscal house in order, prioritizes the values of the American people and puts an end to Washingtons wasteful spending.

The town hall ended with Boebert dismissing the need for National Guard protection and fencing around the U.S. Capitol despite the mob riot that resulted in five people dying on Jan. 5.

I had the honor of meeting with a large group of the National Guard today and just speaking with them and letting them know how valued they are, but also how their not exactly needed here at this time, Boebert said.

She then questioned why a wall remains around the Capitol when the wall at the United States border with Mexico hasnt been completed. She recently visited the border wall and saw eight-foot gaps and missing sections of fence because construction has been halted, equipment is lying on the ground to rot.

However, some people in Washington, D.C., felt threatened and immediately erected a very strong wall. Its a great wall, its a beautiful wall. President Trump would have loved this wall, Boebert said with a laugh. Its in the wrong location. We certainly dont need that around the Capitol and Ive actually been talking to my team about strategies to get that moved and I would love to keep you up to date on that, to see where we go with that because we have some fun strategies with this wall and where to take it.

It is unfortunate to see, she continued. People guard what they care about and its very, very clear that those that are in power here care about themselves and President Trump wanted to guard our nations border because he cares about the American people. You protect what you value and bringing in 25,000 National Guard, thats a little unnecessary for a mostly virtual inauguration.

The wall is unnecessary and needs to be taken down from around our Capitol, Boebert concluded.

scondon@aspentimes.com

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CD3 Rep. Boebert's first town hall gets off to a rough start - Aspen Times

Hendersonville Times-News

Tune in 'The Social Dilemma' on Netflix

To the Editor: IstronglyurgeyoutoseeThe Social Dilemma on Netflix,ifyouhave not yetseenit.Throughinterviews with former executives and developers for Google, FaceBook, Twitter, etc., this explains how social mediais using subtlyinsidious methodstomanipulateyour opinions, moving each of us further right, or further left, and exacerbating political divisions. The Russians did not needtohack FaceBook; they merely used thetools that Facebook developed and which are availabletotheir advertisers. We needtobe alerttothis because we cant rely on the fact checking algorithmsin the media; we must be personally vigilant.

Larry Mobley, Hendersonville

Teachers should get vaccinated

To the Editor:Shouldnt our teachers and staff go to the front of the vaccination line? HC is a retirement community with more than 30,000 people over 65 to be vaccinated in front of our school personnel. Is it fair to ask our teachers and staff to put their health and others at risk, when most of us who are retired can stay safely in our own homes? The teaching staff in HC public schools is only about 900. More than20 states have prioritized teachers.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said schools are safe to open even if teachers are not vaccinated ifproper safety protocols were followed, including good ventilation, adequate testing and tracking, proper distancing, and mask-wearing. Until Henderson County has hired and trained enough people and received the materials to put these safety precautions in place, our community should, at the very least, make vaccinations available at schools to teachers and staff, shouldnt they?

Teachers have been working overtime to educate our children to the best of their ability despite all the extra challenges and health worries of Covid-19. They deserve our support now to help our children thrive. Henderson County and state leaders, please act to make vaccinating teachers a priority!

Linda Miller, Hendersonville

The rest of the story

To the Editor:For those readers who were perplexed by the abrupt ending of Jonah Goldberg's editorial on Feb. 4th, 2021 here is the rest of the editorial.

"Sure, government can't make you violate your conscience (though if your conscience says you should rape or murder, you're out of luck).But government can-and should - try to make you believe some things. It should try to convince you that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and necessary.It can tell you the correct date of Election Day.

This isn't dictatorial by any definition. It's telling the truth, and truth-telling is supposed to be the first obligation of both politicians and pundits, because democracy doesn't work without the truth. And neither will the GOP."

Ann Twiggs,Hendersonville

The role of legislatures

To the Editor: John Hood made a sound case in his Feb. 3column that legislatures are the proper engine for government and must constrain governors, presidents and courts from arrogating too much power to themselves.Hood wrote that one strength of legislatingis that it forces intense scrutiny and compromise between competing approaches to address issues.Paraphrasing, he said that half-loaf measures leave open the possibility of second-half reprises when the political climate changes.He could have added that partial measures produced by compromise also tend to validate or invalidate procedures before committing excessive (and too often permanent) funding to them.

This kind of conservatism extends to the Madisonian doctrine that dynamic state governments competing with and constraining the national government are the truly federal prescription the U.S. Constitution mandates.

Hood urged that the U.S. Congress should channel the North Carolina Legislature and "consider legislating for a change." I hope that as it does so, it will remember Hood's position that respectful due diligence is crucial to good legislation, and wise legislation surely is the surest constraint on executive overreach

David M. Hudelson,Horse Shoe

Senators must make a choice

We need to thank former President Trump for showing us just how fragile our democratic form of government is.The tragedy is that there are millions of Americans who have been so captured by Trumpism that they are willing to subvert our democratic form of government and accept tyranny in its place.What is even sadder, the Trumpists were supporting a dictator wannabe while waving American flags as they stormed the Capitol in an attempt to overthrow a free and fair election.They fell for the big lie from the consummate conman.

Now the test is before the Republican Senators.Will they convict Trump for inciting an insurrection, or will they decide that they are okay with an attempt to retain power by force?Will they defend democracy, or will they condone tyranny?The choice should be easy, but many Republican Senators seem to be having trouble making that choice. Our Representative Madison Cawthorn has already come down in favor of tyranny, but that was no surprise.Now we will see if Senators Burr and Tillis will help to correct this wrong, or will they join other cowards in their party and condone an insurrection.

Duane Johnson, Hendersonville

Don't let socialists take control

To the Editor:Has anyone elsenoticedtheunceasing, relentless drumbeat for socialism?Every day we are told that we are incapable:unable to make our own decisions, unable to solve our own problems, unable to live our lives without assistance.

Some timein the last 10years we went from being the most energetic, innovative, creative people on the planet to being pathetic incompetents.Really?!

How doyouwant to live your life?Do you want to be taken care of or do you want to be free?Decide now.If socialists take control of our government, you will no longer have a choice.

Suzanne Grasser, Flat Rock

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Letters to the Editor, Sunday, Feb. 7 - BlueRidgeNow.com

By Jennifer Micale

February 05, 2021

Siberia swings between extremes: bitter winters and scorching summers. Vast landscapes virtually untouched by human hands, and others profoundly changed by the extraction of natural resources. Natural beauty that inspires poetry, and some of the worst air pollution in the world.

The Soviet Union focused its attention on the development of Siberia starting in the 1950s in an effort to bolster a lagging economy. Mariia Koskina, a doctoral candidate in history at Binghamton University, researches that tension between economic development and nature preservation, and how the Soviet legacy continues to shape the Eurasian and global environment to this day.

Koskina recently received a Stanford U.S.-Russia Forum (SURF) fellowship, joining a cohort of 51 scholars from 11 countries exploring issues of mutual interest to the United States and Russia. Due to the pandemic, in-person conferences will be replaced by virtual roundtables and seminars with leaders across business, government and academia from both countries.

Shes part of SURFs Climate and Environment working group, which is focusing on wildfires in Siberia and Alaska.

It is a fantastic opportunity for me to build connections in and outside of my field, to do policy-relevant research and, generally, to expand my knowledge of U.S.Russian relations and cooperation in various areas, she said.

A native of Tula in Russia, Koskina holds a masters degree in linguistics from the Higher School of Economics in Nizhny Novgorod. She came to Binghamton in 2015 on a Fulbright scholarship, earned a masters degree in American history, and interned at the United Nations Department of Public Information as a multimedia archivist and at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars as a Russian language specialist working on the International Cold War History Project.

Now in the fourth year of her PhD program, her doctoral research investigates Soviet environmental policies and popular attitudes toward nature practices in Siberias Yenisei basin from the 1950s through the 1970s.

Mariia Koskina, a doctoral candidate in history at Binghamton University Image Credit: provided photo.

Mariia is pursuing a theoretically important and yet also playful project. In it, a Siberian landscape that was, in Soviet understanding, to be a passive recipient of human care and development becomes the agent of a new Soviet environmental subjectivity, DeHaan said. In other words, the expectations of Soviet administrators and of us as historians get flipped on their head, and the mighty waters of the Yenisei River suddenly assume an important role as agents of historical change. There are delightful and eye-opening ironies in the material she has uncovered.

Siberia is a huge landmass a third larger than the United States with natural resources ranging from water and timber to gold, diamonds, gas and more. A new technology in the post-war period, hydroelectric dams sprang up on Siberian rivers, sparking the growth of cities, factories and the local population.

Koskina specifically looks at the city of Krasnoyarsk and its dam on the Yenisei River, one of the most powerful hydroelectric generators of its time. The dam enabled a local industrial revolution, including a massive aluminum factory.

It also changed the landscape beyond recognition. The river no longer freezes during the bitter Siberian winter, and an icy fog now shrouds the city. Sometimes its a choking, chemical-laden smog, described by locals as black sky.

Industrial development, however, isnt the whole story; the Soviet Union also had its own home-grown environmentalism. Nature reserves, known as zapovedniki, emerged in pre-Soviet times; they were modeled somewhat after the American national park system, but with a focus on scientific research. In 1951, the Soviet Union had 128 such reserves, but the number dipped as more land was harnessed for economic use; some of these reserves were recovered in the 1960s.

One of these nature reserves was established in Krasnoyarsk between the dam and the city. The dam site also included a green zone that prohibited hunting and fishing.

While the Soviet Union had no private or non-governmental environmental organizations, it did have the All-Russian Society for Nature Protection, founded in 1924. Green and blue patrols at schools organized cleanups of forests and local water bodies, and city planning efforts attempted to preserve native vegetation.

In the early 1970s, the USSR and the USA squared off in a green race, trying to demonstrate whether socialism or capitalism better protected the environment. The USSR showcased its ideas on environmental protection during the 1974 Worlds Fair in Spokane, and in 1978 published a comprehensive list of endangered animal and plant species.

In 1972, U.S. President Richard Nixon and Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev signed an agreement calling for environmental cooperation. Russia and the United States dont often take bilateral action to address the climate or the environment today, underscored by President Donald Trumps withdrawal from the Paris climate accord, Koskina reflected.

The history says that our leaders can and the state of our environment says that they should work together better; after all, the U.S. and Russia are some of the worlds major polluters, she said.

While the Soviet Unions conquest of nature storyline is common in scholarship, Koskinas work also considers the everyday encounters of Soviet newcomers with Siberias landscape. They built factories, but they also wrote poems about the regions beauty, hiked the nature reserve, tended city greenery and prosecuted poachers.

In 2019, she received the Association for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies Dissertation Research Grant, which funded the first round of her fieldwork. In addition to Moscow, she paid a visit to Divnogorsk, the closest city to the Krasnoyarsk dam, and saw firsthand why its name means marvelous mountains.

A visit to the Stolby nature reserve was the highlight; Siberian nature and landscapes are stunning and very different from central Russia, she said.

But she also experienced the downsides of Siberian development: bad air and frigid temperatures caused a painful bout with bronchitis.

She knows that tension between the economy and nature from her own childhood in Tula. Her father worked at a metallurgical plant for more than 50 years, but the industry that provided her family with financial security also created the soot they breathed, and which coated the fruit and vegetables they grew. But the love for the land rooted deep in Koskina; when she moved to the United States, she planted blackcurrants to give her a literal taste of home.

Long-term, she hopes to continue her career in Western academia writing about Russia and the Soviet Union in English.

America for Russia, just like Russia for America, has been a real mystery and a myth; both countries have gotten used to defining themselves through what they believe to be their differences, Koskina said. I think that we can get closer to the truth regarding both nations while looking at their commonalities, of which there are more than you would think.

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Red and green: Research explores the Soviet Unions environmental legacy - Binghamton University

New information has emerged in recent weeks about the broad involvement of former President Donald Trump and his close political circle, broad sectors of the Republican Party and the military in the attempted fascist coup launched at the US Capitol on January 6. These facts vindicate the seriousness with which the World Socialist Web Site has dealt with this event and its international political significance.

This significance, on the other hand, has been totally underestimated by the Brazilian corporate media and pseudo-left publications, despite the profound implications of the coup for Brazils own political situation. This has been underscored by the fascistic President Jair Bolsonaros threats to repeat in Brazil the same coup methods employed by Trump.

In particular, no Brazilian media or political force has questioned the motives of Eduardo BolsonaroPresident Bolsonaros son, federal congressman, and chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committeefor being present in the United States during the events of January 6. The fact that Eduardo traveled during his parliamentary vacation has been cynically used as an argument to treat the trip by this fascistic conspirator as a personal affair.

Eduardos Bolsonaros arrival in the United States on January 4 was first reported by Globo as a surprise visit to the White House at the invitation of Ivanka Trump, daughter of the former US president. The next day, Zero Three, as the Brazilian president calls his third son, published on social media a photo of Ivanka holding his newborn daughter in her arms.

Nothing was reported in the media about the Brazilian congressmans activities on January 5, the day before the Capitol invasion. His wife, Helosa Bolsonaro, however, posted that day on her social media that now that he [Eduardo] is in a meeting, I could be walking, but the city of Washington is very much closed. No information came out about who he met, or what this meeting was about.

Amidst Helosa Bolsonaros platitudes about this being her daughters first international trip and her meeting with Aunt Ivanka, there is still further revealing information about the circumstances surrounding her husbands visit to Washington: This trip was recently confirmed, at the last minute. We were in the middle of summer, I had to think about winter clothes.

On the evening of January 6, before Congress had finally completed the certification of Joe Bidens election as US president, Eduardo Bolsonaro posted a photo of himself beside Trump supporter Michael Lindell, saying: Pleased to meet Michael Lindell, a former junkie and now a successful businessman in the US. He mentioned no reason for this meeting.

Lindell is not just any businessman. He played a central role in the planning of Trumps coup. At the end of January, as reported by the WSWS, information emerged about a meeting held on January 5 between the former US president and his supporters at Trump International Hotel to discuss the following days events. Among the 15 people present at this meeting, besides the organizers of the next days rally and march to the Capitol, was MyPillows CEO, Michael Lindell.

On January 15, Lindell made a brief visit to Donald Trump at the White House. A Washington Post photographer was able to partially photograph a document in Lindells hands, apparently outlining proposals for the former presidents final days in office. The note suggested invoking the Insurrection Act, allowing the deployment of the US Armed Forces in the streets, and a declaration of martial law if necessary.

The document appeared to also include a proposal to claim that China and Iran were behind the alleged election fraud as the pretext for the invocation of emergency powers, and called for the installation of Trump loyalist Kash Patel at the head of the CIA.

Even after these revelations, the only mention in the Brazilian media about the meeting between Lindell and Bolsonaro has been a brief report in poca magazine, still on January 6.

Instead of exposing the ominous presence of the fascistic congressman and son of the president in the US during the January 6 events, which was a political statement in itself, the Brazilian press did just the opposite. Folha de So Paulo, the newspaper with the largest circulation in Brazil, highlighted Eduardo Bolsonaros silence about the siege of the US Capitol. The right-wing Veja, the magazine with the largest national circulation in Brazil, stated that the coup had been forgotten by Eduardo.

But Eduardo Bolsonaro did not keep silent about the coup. On the next day, he shared a tweet by Brazils far-right Foreign Minister Ernesto Arajo, stating: I make my own the words of Chancellor Ernesto Arajo. This is also my vision about what happened in the USA yesterday. Arajo, repeating the arguments of Trumps inner circle, cynically regretted the storming of the Capitol, while declaring:

One must recognize that a large part of the American people feel assaulted and betrayed by their political class and distrust the electoral process.

One has to distinguish between electoral process and democracy. Doubting the suitability of an electoral process does NOT mean rejecting democracy

One must stop calling decent citizens fascists when they demonstrate against elements of the political system or members of institutions

Nothing justifies an invasion like the one that occurred yesterday. But at the same time nothing justifies, in a democracy, the disrespect of the people by the institutions or those who control them.

The right of the people to demand the proper functioning of their institutions is sacred. May yesterdays events in Washington not serve as a pretext, in the USA or in any country, to place any institution above popular scrutiny.

These words, signed onto by Zero Three, are an unequivocal declaration of support for the fascist conspiracy in the US. Along with the coup-mongering statements of President Jair Bolsonaro himself, they should be taken with the utmost seriousness by the Brazilian working class.

Eduardo Bolsonaro is a particularly nefarious and dangerous figure. A federal policeman, his political activities in Brazil are directly connected to the mobilization of police forces as the basis for a fascistic movement. As a congressman, he is a vocal supporter of weapons manufacturing and unrestricted gun rights in Brazil, along with the criminalization of communism. Like his father, he is an avid defender of the bloody military dictatorship that ruled Brazil for 21 years.

In the first year of his administration, Bolsonaro appointed his son Eduardo as Brazils ambassador to the US, allegedly because he is a friend of Donald Trumps children and has a very great global experience. This plan ultimately failed. The global experience mentioned by Bolsonaro includes having been nominated by Steve Bannon as the South American leader of his fascistic front, The Movement.

Eduardo did not go to the United States as a tourist. He was effectively summoned as an international observer of Trumps coup on behalf of Brazilian fascists. If Trump tweeted his supporters that January 6 will be wild, one has only to imagine what Eduardo Bolsonaro was told.

It is extremely revealing of the character of organizations like the Workers Party (PT), the Maoist Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB), and the Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL), the so-called opposition to the Bolsonaros administration, that they did not even challenge Eduardo Bolsonaros explanations to the House of Representatives about the reasons for his trip to the United States.

The turn of the ruling class to dictatorial forms of rule, whether in Brazil, the US or anywhere else in the world, will find no serious barrier in the parties based on the bourgeois state and the defense of capitalist property relations, regardless of the left varnish with which they attempt to cover themselves. Only the independent political mobilization of the international working class, oriented by the socialist perspective of the International Committee of the Fourth International, can seriously confront this threat.

more on this topic

Trump and the danger of fascism in America

The fascist insurrection in Washington DC is a turning point in the political history of the United States.

See the original post here:

What was Eduardo Bolsonaro doing in Washington during the January 6 coup? - WSWS

A far-right rapper has been arrested in Austria and accused of publishing music that is neo-Nazi, antisemitic and racist, the government announced.

One of the suspect's songs was used as a soundtrack by the perpetrator in the terror attack in Halle, Germany, in October 2019, reported AFP news agency.

Two people were killed by a gunman after he failed to shoot in his way into a synagogue in the city while broadcasting the attack live on a popular gaming platform.

The attack on Yom Kippur, Judaism's holiest day, is considered one of the worst anti-Semitic assaults in Germanys post-war history.

Last month, a German court sentenced the gunman, a 28-year-old man, to life in prison for murder and attempted murder.

Austria's Interior Ministry said the rapper had been arrested "on the orders of the public prosecutor's office in Vienna" and had been taken into custody following a search on 20 January.

The suspect from Carinthia is being prosecuted for producing and spreading Nazi ideas and inciting hatred, added AFP.

Using an anonymous pseudonym Mr Bond, the man is accused of encouraging members of neo-Nazi forums to commit terrorist attacks since 2016. Austrian intelligence had been trying to unmask the suspect for months.

"The lyrics of his songs glorify National Socialism and are antisemitic, racist and xenophobic," the Interior Ministry said.

During the search, hard disks, weapons, a military flag of the Third Reich, Nazi objects, and a mixing console were seized by the authorities.

"The fight against right-wing extremism is our historical responsibility", said Interior Minister Karl Nehammer.

Continued here:

Rapper arrested in Austria and accused of publishing neo-Nazi songs - Euronews

President Biden signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., January 20, 2021.(Tom Brenner/Reuters)

AlthoughPoliticos flagship product, Playbook,is still recovering from Ben Shapiros problematic guest appearance a couple weeks back, todays iteration of the morning newsletter still managed to scrounge together some interesting quotes from a longtime Biden aide, who remains unnamed. Per the aide, the White Houses decision to move forward with a reckless $1.9 trillion relief package instead of pursuing a less frivolous bipartisan bill, runs counter to Bidens instincts. Noting the harsh tone of the statement Biden issued on the Republican proposal, the advisor mused that I think it sounded more like Ron Klain than Joe Biden. Klain, Bidens chief of staff, is reportedly still bitter over Republican opposition to the Affordable Care Act a decade ago, and his governing philosophy was warped by the experience. Politicos source explained Ron has this whole thing: Remember how they rat-fed us on the ACA!, the expletive standing in for disagreed with.

One of the Trump campaigns favorite attacks on Biden was that he would be a Trojan horse for socialism. Neither Bidens affect nor his record lent itself to this message. What is true is that Biden is susceptible to having his back-slapping instincts overridden by the technocratic partisans hes surrounded himself with. Partisans who are irrationally vexed by any pushback on their agenda, and who believe any such pushback to be obstructionism for obstructionisms sake.

Biden may not be Bernie Sanders with a grin, but his is likely to be the Vox.com presidency, and any illusions of unity or a return to regular order in Congress should be discarded after his outright rejection of a good-faith effort at bipartisanship.

Read this article:

Biden: Tool of the Partisan Left, Not Socialism - National Review

TheMarch Continues

Dear Editor,

The Imperial Edicts, aka EOs, just keep coming. And you arent hearing squat from either chamber of Congress, with a couple of exceptions, because theyre letting their puppet take all the heat. And who can blame them. His actions allow them to operate under the radar, in the shadows, a place they love and thrive in.

Two Democrats, not (National Socialist) Democrats, but realDemocrats, have shown an amazing level of intestinal fortitude and openness about what they believe and are willing to fight for. And as a result, theyve become public enemy No.1 to the (National Socialist) Democrat politburo. They have unleashed their attack dog, AOC, on them, and shes dedicating resources towards eliminating them as obstructions in the march towards their ultimate goal of national socialism.

These two individuals are executing the duties and responsibilities of the positions they were elected to, those being to represent the interests of the people that put them there, one representing the people directly and the other representing the interests of their state. In the case of Sen. Joe Minchin, he holds a major card in the game in that his vote will decide if or if not the filibuster option survives. That is the only thing holding back a complete takeover by the (National Socialist) Democrat politburo of both chambers of Congress.

As Ive said earlier, the (National Socialist) Democrat politburo have the next two years to solidify their power over the American people. And having the mainstream mediarunning interference for them is going to make it a little easier. People are going to have to watch very carefully for the small, subtle steps they take to make sure they retain what they have managed to steal. They currently have control, albeit tenuous, of the executive and legislative branches. The only thing between them and us is the judicial, and they are working on that. Dont think theyve given up on the idea of packing the Supreme Court, and there are reports of a plan to try to dilute the appointments made to the federal courts by President Trump.

We must pay attention to whats happening, not just on the surface in high profile actions but also watch what they are doing below the surface. We must identify the RINOs and the conservatives that are not working for the people but for their special interest handlers and their own interests.

Alan Marshall

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Letters To The Editor: Feb. 3, 2021 - The Rhino Times of Greensboro - The Rhino TImes

MANILA - The Department of the Interior and Local Government does not intend for now to abrogate its 1992 security agreement with the University of the Philippines, which prohibits police to operate on campus grounds without prior notice.

"We have no intention of abrogation at present. What we want is to have a healthy discussion with the officials of the University of the Philippines," Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya told ANC.

The DILG and UP officials are expected to meet this week "in an atmosphere of mutual trust" to thresh out issues related to peace and order, he said.

The agency, which oversees the Philippine National Police, and premier state university signed an agreement in 1992 regulating the entry of police into UP campuses.

The 1992 UP-DILG agreement was signed by then UP President Jose Abueva and then Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan III following the enactment of Republic Act 6975, which effectively transferred the countrys police force from the Department of National Defense to the DILG. The Philippine Constabulary-Integrated National Police, now the PNP, was formerly under DND.

The 1992 UP-DILG agreement has the same content with the 1989 UP-DND agreement wherein prior notification shall be given by a commander of an Armed Forces of the Philippines or PNP unit intending to conduct any military or police operations in any of the UP campuses.

During the interview, Malaya, also DILG's spokesperson, said they would want to assess the level of security, particularly in UP Diliman, following the proliferation of residential units, business establishments and informal settlers.

"We would like to find out if the UP Diliman police are up to par with the changes since 1992," he said.

Malaya said they also intend to raise the alleged continued clandestine recruitment by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its front organizations of UP students.

"The concern of DILG is the continued recruitment of students to join the armed struggle. That's different from activism. That's different from teaching the principles of different types of ideologies from left to right," he said.

"Any UP student would know at least one, I know several, contemporaries that have been recruited by front organizations in the University of the Philippines and have went up to the mountains and were killed by encounters between the armed forces, PNP and New People's Army."

However, Malaya clarified that the DILG does not plan to deploy police in any UP campus to monitor students' activities as such action may infringe academic freedom.

"Academic freedom simply means that its the right of the school to determine what is to be studied, who will study and the manner of studying. These things are sacrosanct," he said.

"Meaning the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police has no intention of prohibiting teachers from teaching communism. Thats part of the curriculum.

"I myself, when I was in the university, studied that in PolSci or types of ideologies, liberal democracy, national democracy, socialism, communist, Marxism. It's part of the curriculum. We will not interfere with that," he said.

On Jan 15, the DND unilaterally junked its 1989 accord over allegations UP had become "a safe haven for enemies of the state."

UP denied this and urged the defense minister to reconsider its decision.

ANC, Matters of Fact, DILG, Department of Interior and Local Government, Jonathan Malaya, 1992 UP-DILG agreement, UP, University of the Philippines, abrogation, pact, accord, agreement

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DILG says 'no intention at present' of scrapping 1992 accord with UP - ABS-CBN News