Occupy Banksters & Crony Capitalism & GREED

Inside Harris' delicate balancing act on the economy
Axios | Hans Nichols | 08/30/24

In her CNN interview Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris gave her most forceful defense of President Biden's economic record since becoming the Democratic nominee for president.

Why it matters: But in a reflection of her campaign's "move forward" theme, Harris couldn't bring herself to repeat a word that CNN's Dana Bash used to describe the president's approach to lowering unemployment and tackling high prices: "Bidenomics."

Instead, Harris carefully took credit for America's post-COVID economic recovery and lowering drug costs while acknowledging there's more work to do.

"I'm very proud of the work that we have done that has brought inflation down to less than 3%," Harris said.

"America recovered faster than any wealthy nation around the world, but ... prices, in particular for groceries, are still too high," she said. "The American people know it. I know it." ... Read more

Rachel Maddow: 'Don't sleep on what is happening in the states' | MSNBC | 08/27/24 | 8:59

'Russians do everything via Telegram.' Pavel Durov's arrest upends Kremlin military comms.
Politico | Veronika Melkozerova | 08/26/24

SpaceX's Falcon 9 grounded ahead of historic Polaris Dawn mission
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 08/29/24

The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily grounded SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets on Wednesday after a booster failed to land upright and exploded following the successful launch of Starlink satellites.

Why it matters: The grounding pending the outcome of an investigation into Wednesday's incident comes as SpaceX prepares for its Polaris Dawn mission featuring four private astronauts who are set to attempt the first-ever space walk by private citizens.

"The incident involved the failure of the Falcon 9 booster rocket while landing on a droneship at sea. No public injuries or public property damage have been reported. The FAA is requiring an investigation." ... Read more

Did Trump Campaign Desecrate Arlington National Cemetery? | Thomm Hartmann| 08/28/24 | 3:59

The controversial California AI bill that has divided the tech world
Axios | Ina Fried, Ashley Gold | 08/28/24

A California effort to regulate AI has divided the tech world, with some trying to squelch what they see as overreach by a single state and others supporting the bill.

The big picture: The move comes as regulators in Europe have again taken the lead on legislation but Congress has yet to act, putting U.S. states in the driver's seat.

Catch up quick: California's SB 1047 would require AI developers to comply with certain rules before developing their models.

It passed the state Senate 32-1, with the Assembly facing an Aug. 31 deadline to approve the measure in time for it to head to Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Driving the news: Anthropic has offered cautious support for the bill, following certain changes, while OpenAI opposes it, saying it could "stifle innovation."

What they're saying: Elon Musk said Monday that California "should probably pass the SB 1047 AI safety bill," arguing that AI's risk to the public justifies regulation. "This is a tough call and will make some people upset," he said. ... Read more

Jack Smith's superseding indictment of Trump in the election subversion case
Politico | staff | 08/27/24

The new indictment removes some specific allegations against Trump but contains the same four criminal charges as the first.

A federal grand jury in Washington has reindicted Donald Trump on four felony charges related to his effort to subvert the 2020 presidential election. ... Read more

United States of America vs Donald J. Trump

The sense of global gloom is abating
Axios | Neil Irwin | 08/26/24

The world is no longer on fire. That's the central takeaway from the annual assemblage of the grandees of global economics in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, that concluded Saturday.

The big picture: Global central bankers largely feel that a long period in which the world economy has been whipsawed has come to an end, and that the outlook is for a return to steady growth and low inflation.

It's not that the world's economic problems are defeated, of course, but the feeling of careening from one crisis to the next, which has hung over the symposium the last few years, is gone. ... Read more

Man charged in threats to kill election workers in Colorado and Arizona
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 08/27/24

A Colorado man has been arrested in connection with multiple online threats against election officials and others in Colorado and Arizona, the Department of Justice announced Monday.

The big picture: Teak Brockbank, 45, was arrested Friday in his home city of Cortez and he's accused of making "detailed death threats against election officials, judges, and law enforcement officers," per a statement from Attorney General Merrick Garland, whose DOJ Election Threats Task Force is overseeing the case.

"I could pick up my rifle and I could go put a bullet in this Mans head and send him to explain himself to our Creator right now," Teakty4u wrote about a Colorado state judge, according to the complaint. ... Read more

Harris flip-flops on building the border wall
Axios | Alex Thompson,Hans Nichols |08/27/24

If she's elected president, Kamala Harris pledges to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on the wall along the southern border - a project she once opposed and called "un-American" during the Trump administration.

Why it matters: It's the latest example of Harris flip-flopping on her past liberal positions such as supporting Medicare for All and banning fracking - proposals that aides say she now is against. ... Read more

One million brain scans used to assess dementia risk
BBC | Laura Goodwin | 08/26/24

Scientists are hoping that access to more than 1.6 million brain scans collected from patients across Scotland could help predict a person's risk of dementia.

A team of 20 researchers from the universities of Edinburgh and Dundee have been given unprecedented permission to view a huge number of anonymous scans gathered from across the Scottish population over a decade.

It is the first time scientists in the UK have had access to such large volumes of valuable data.

They will use artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse the scans to see if there are patterns or signs of dementia.

Dementia is characterised by the build-up of different types of protein in the brain, which damages brain tissue and leads to cognitive decline.

Molecular and cellular changes to the brain usually begin many years before any symptoms occur. ... Read more

Massachusetts towns on alert over potentially deadly mosquito-borne virus
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 08/26/24

Ten Massachusetts counties are at high or critical risk from the mosquito-borne virus eastern equine encephalitis, a rare but potentially deadly virus, state health officials warn.

The big picture: There are currently no vaccines or medicines available to treat EEE, also known as "Triple E," which about 30% of people die from, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"[M]any survivors have ongoing neurologic problems," per an online CDC post. ... ... ... Read more

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov reportedly arrested in France
magazine | Sam Sabin | 08/28/24

French authorities arrested Pavel Durov, the CEO of encrypted messaging app Telegram, on Saturday night, according to multiple news reports.

Why it matters: The arrest appears tied to Telegram's looser content moderation policies, and the company's reported unwillingness to cooperate with law enforcement.

The arrest has raised questions about what liability risks social media executives have over the content users share on their platforms.

State of play: Durov, who was born in Russia and has citizenship in France, was arrested at Le Bourget airport outside of Paris shortly after landing on a private jet Saturday evening, according to Reuters. ... Read more

Hospice: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | John Oliver | 08/22/24 | 28:54

DNC vs. RNC: Two convention speeches, two different messages | MSNBC/Morning Joe | 08/23/24 | 8:55

1. DNC LIVE: Day 1 of Democratic National Convention in Chicago | AP | 08/19/24 | 6:14:10
2. Democratic National Convention (Day 2) | C-Span | 08/20/24 | 6:15:30
3. Democratic National Convention (Day 3) | C-Span | 08/21/24 | 6:20:05
4. Kamala Harris Accepts Presidential Nomination at Democratic National Convention (Day 4) | C-Span | 08/22/24 | 5:45:10

'An inflection point in history': Maddow on Kamala Harris' historic DNC speech | MSNBC/Rachel Maddow | 08/23/24 | 6:55

Donald Trump's shocking cruelty exposed by his own family | 60 Minutes Australia | 08/18/24 | 17:20

DNC Night 4: Kamala Harris Closes Out A Joyous, Highly-Rated DNC | Trump Is A Weak, Unserious Man | Stephen Colbert | 08/23/24 | 12:27

Oprah, Clinton and the coach: Takeaways from Walz Night at the DNC
Axios | Zachary Basu | 08/22/24

CHICAGO - On a star-studded night of speakers, it was a member of the audience who delivered the most unforgettable moment of the Democratic National Convention.

"That's my dad!" a crying Gus Walz, the 17-year-old son of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, shouted and pointed as his father accepted the party's vice presidential nomination.

Why it matters: On the biggest stage of Walz's political career, his family showed America why Vice President Kamala Harris chose him to be his running mate: his ability to mix compassion with no-frills authenticity.

"Hope, Gus and Gwen: You are my entire world, and I love you," Walz addressed his daughter, son and wife as he recounted the family's journey with fertility treatments.

"I'm letting you in on how we started a family because this is a big part about what this election is about: Freedom!" Walz declared to the crowd of dewy-eyed Democrats. ... Read more

Trump protected by bulletproof glass in 1st outdoor rally since shooting
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 08/22/24

Former President Trump appeared behind bulletproof glass in North Carolina in his first outdoor rally since the assassination attempt on him in Butler, Pennsylvania, last month.

The big picture: It's been signature Trump to hold large outdoor rallies, but the U.S. Secret Service had expressed concern about the Republican presidential candidate holding big-crowd events and initially advised against it in some instances.

ABC News first reported last week that the USSS had recommended Trump be protected by bulletproof glass when he resumed holding outdoor rallies. ... Read more

Oath Keepers lawyer pleads guilty to obstructing Jan. 6 investigation
Politico | Kelley Cheney | 08/21/24

Kellye SoRelle admitted that she advised members of the extremist group to destroy evidence.

A lawyer who advised members of the far-right Oath Keepers to delete their text messages in the aftermath of their leaders' role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol pleaded guilty Wednesday to obstructing federal investigators.

Kellye SoRelle, who had a romantic relationship with Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, admitted that she advised others in the group to destroy evidence. She also pleaded guilty for being present on Capitol grounds during the riot, though she did not enter the building.

SoRelle’s plea ends a saga that has been pending for years, including several months while U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta determined whether she was competent to stand trial or enter a voluntary plea. He ultimately found that she knowingly admitted to her crimes. SoRelle will be sentenced in January and is likely facing several months to a year in prison. ... Read more

Why did this conservative US judge endorse Kamala Harris?
TheGuardian | Margaret Sullivan | 08/21/24

What matters to Michael Luttig is getting past January 2025 with democracy intact. We can argue later about how to govern

J Michael Luttig has never endorsed a Democrat before. That's no surprise since the well-respected legal scholar - a retired federal appeals court judge - leans well right of center.

Appointed by the first President Bush in 1991, Luttig is from the old school of the Republican party. He once worked in Ronald Reagan's White House and served as a law clerk to Antonin Scalia.

But now, whatever his policy views or personal politics, Luttig has set them aside. He will pull the lever in November for Kamala Harris. ... Read more

Earth currently experiencing a sixth mass extinction, according to scientists | 60 Minutes | 2023 | 13:16

Biden in late-night farewell: "I gave my best to you"
Axios | Erin Doherty | 08/19/24

A fiery President Biden delivered an impassioned defense of democracy at the DNC on Monday as he cast November's presidential election as an existential fight for the future of the country.

Why it matters: The 81-year-old president's speech ran past midnight Eastern time as the DNC was behind schedule. Biden passed the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris and said the fight against Trumpism is far from finished.

"With a grateful heart, I stand before you now on this August night to report that democracy has prevailed," Biden said.

"It's working. They believe it": Experts warn Trump preparing "next version of Stop the Steal"
Salon | Nicholas Lu | 08/19/24

Kamala Harris' emergence as the Democratic Party's standard-bearer has been met with barrage of claims by former President Donald Trump and his allies that the vice president seized the party nomination in an undemocratic coup and is preparing to rig the election against him. The accusations, barely mentioned at the Republican National Convention in July, are reaching an ever more fevered pitch as Harris pulls ahead of Trump in election polling, with the former president labeling any inconvenience or obstacle for him as an example of election interference.

"This was an overthrow of a president. This was an overthrow," Trump declared at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, referring to President Joe Biden giving way to Harris on the ticket. "They deposed a president," he continued. "It was a coup of a president. This was a coup." ... Read more

"The Secret IRS Files. Inside the Tax Records of the .001%
propublica.org | Jesse Eisinger, Jeff Ernsthausen and Paul Kiel | 06/08/21

ProPublica has obtained a vast cache of IRS information showing how billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Warren Buffett pay little in income tax compared to their massive wealth - sometimes, even nothing. ... Read more

Hamas rejects new U.S. proposal for Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal
Axios | Barak Ravid | 08/19/24

Hamas on Sunday rejected an updated U.S. proposal for a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza, blaming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for moving the goalposts and the U.S. for indulging him.

Why it matters: The White House had claimed significant progress had been made during talks in Doha over the last several days. The rejection of the new proposal, which was presented to the parties on Friday, makes President Biden's goal of getting a deal this week almost impossible.

A stalemate in the negotiations would also make an attack by Iran and Hezbollah against Israel much more likely.

Both Tehran and Hezbollah have vowed revenge for Israeli assassinations in Beirut and Tehran, but have held their fire so far. ... Read more

Jeff Zients says Biden will "finish the job" with five-month sprint
Axios | Mike Allen | 08/19/24

White House chief of staff Jeff Zients tells Axios that President Biden is determined to make his final five months in office - 154½ days! - as productive as any five months of his presidency.

Why it matters: "The president's belief is that every single day matters," Zients told Axios in an interview ahead of Biden's valedictory address to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago tonight.

"We're going to finish the job as strong as we started it and continue to make history together." ... Read more

House GOP investigators accuse Biden of 'impeachable conduct' in long-awaited report
Politico | Jordain Carney | 08/19/24

House Republican investigators accused President Joe Biden of engaging in "impeachable conduct" as part of a long-awaited report. It's unlikely to change a reality the party has faced for months: They don't have the votes to impeach him.

The 291-page report released Monday by the Oversight, Judiciary and Ways and Means committees comes roughly eight months after Republicans formalized their impeachment inquiry against the president. Their sweeping investigations, largely focused on the business deals of Biden's family members, have gone on even longer, informally starting around the time they first took the House majority in January 2023. ... Read more

Biden's goal: Gaza deal by the end of next week
Axios | Barak Ravid | 08/17/24

President Biden is aiming to get a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal by the end of next week while also trying to deter Iran and Hezbollah from conducting an attack on Israel that could undermine this effort, U.S. officials say.

Why it matters: Biden and his aides say they feel they are closer than ever to getting a deal that could lead to the release of hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza, including American citizens, and end 10 months of war that has killed more than 1,600 Israelis and 40,000 Palestinians.

"I'm optimistic. It's far from over. Just a couple more issues. I think we've got a shot," Biden told reporters on Friday. ... ... ... Read more

Iran is now the biggest foreign threat to the 2024 elections
Axios | Sam Sabin | 08/16/24

Iran, not Russia, is proving to be the biggest nation-state threat to the U.S. presidential election in November.

Why it matters: Russia and Iran have grown more brazen and hungrier in their attacks on the U.S. elections, officials say, and the final stretch of the presidential election could see even more chaos.

Driving the news: Google researchers released a report Wednesday confirming that Iran-backed hackers targeted both the Trump and Biden campaigns in a phishing attack.

The FBI is actively investigating the Trump campaign's claims that Iran hacked its systems and is leaking stolen materials to U.S. news outlets. ... Read more

Trump already laying groundwork for election chaos: Charlie Sykes | MSNBC Joe | 08/12/24 | 9:17

Trump goes big on tax cut promises in Harris prebuttal
Axios | Justin Green | 08/15/24

Former President Trump is offering massive tax cuts if he's elected, courting voters with big giveaways without discussing how they'll pay for it.

With his offerings spelled out on the backdrop of his rally in Asheville, N.C., Trump listed promises for voters who think the economy isn't working.

Left unsaid in Trump's promises: How to pay for them, and how to protect Social Security while cutting taxes. ... Read more

Project 2025 Leaks Reveal Trump Connection, While He Continues to Play Dumb | The Daily Show | 08/15/24 | 9:37

Twitter Glitches Out for Elon’s Interview and So Does Trump | The Daily Show | 08/15/24 | 7:02

End of the Road: How Money Became Worthless | Best Documentary | 07/29/23 | 55:36

U.S. approves $20 billion in weapons sales to Israel
Axios | Barak Ravid | 08/13/24

The Biden administration on Tuesday approved more than $20 billion major arms sales to Israel, including new F-15 fighter jets and tens of thousands of tank and mortar shells.

The most significant deal is the sale of 50 F-15IA fighter jets and the upgrade of 25 F-15I fighter jets that are already in service in the Israeli Air Force. The deal is worth $18.8 billion.

The Biden administration also approved the sale of 50,000 120mm mortar shells and 32,000 120mm tank shells.

Another deal involves the sale of 30 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles for fighter jets.

The last deal that was approved is for the sale of military tactical vehicles. ... Read more

Trump's alternative reality campaigne
Axios | Dave Lawler | 08/14/24

In former President Trump's version of reality, Vice President Kamala Harris' crowds are AI-generated, he's leading in nearly all the "real" polls, and President Biden might reclaim his spot on the ticket at any moment.

Why it matters: None of those things are true. And Trump's advisers and allies worry he's spending so much time in alternative reality that it's undermining his real-world campaign.

Driving the news: Trump falsely claimed Sunday that photos showing Harris meeting a huge crowd of supporters at her rally in a Detroit airplane hangar last week were doctored.

"There was nobody at the plane, and she 'A.I.'d' it, and showed a massive 'crowd' of so-called followers, BUT THEY DIDN'T EXIST!" Trump declared. ... Read more

Donald Trump is in full meltdown mode. Could he destroy his own campaign?
TheGuardian | Arwa Mahdawi | 08/13/24

Kamala Harris as his opponent, Trump clearly doesn't know what to do. His campaign now seems to consist of nothing but racism, the revival of old grudges, conspiracy theories and insults.

This strategy isn't exactly working out for him. A New York Times/Siena College poll published on Saturday found Harris four points ahead in the crucial battleground states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. This is a big deal: when Biden was the nominee, Trump was either always slightly ahead in those states or the two men were neck and neck. It’s not just the polls that have shifted, media coverage has, too. A month ago, every headline seemed to be questioning Biden's mental competence; now, headlines are focused on Trump's unhinged rambling. ... Read more

July temperatures point to record hottest year
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 08/12/24

Additional global temperature data is in, and it shows July was ever so slightly warmer than the previous record, which occurred last year.

Why it matters: Month-to-month climate fluctuations face more scrutiny this year following 2023's record warmth that researchers still have not fully explained.

The expectation of many climate scientists is that the unsettlingly rapid warming last year would soon return to the pace of the past decade.

The new July report comes from NASA, and it differs slightly in its ranking from European data released last week.

That calculation showed a second-warmest July and an end to the year-plus streak of record warmest months. But NASA's brings the heat record streak to 14 consecutive months.

The lack of significant cooling in NASA's records compared to July 2023 is noteworthy but not a warning that we're still heating up at last year's rate. ... Read more

Inside Project 2025's Secret Training Videos
ProPublica | by Andy Kroll | 08/10/24

"Eradicate climate change references"; only talk to conservative media; don't leave a paper trail for watchdogs to discover. In a series of never-before-published videos, Project 2025 details how a second Trump administration would operate.

Project 2025, the controversial playbook and policy agenda for a right-wing presidential administration, has lost its director and faced scathing criticism from both Democratic groups and former President Donald Trump. But Project 2025's plan to train an army of political appointees who could battle against the so-called deep state government bureaucracy on behalf of a future Trump administration remains on track.

One centerpiece of that program is dozens of never-before-published videos created for Project 2025's Presidential Administration Academy. The vast majority of these videos - 23 in all, totaling more than 14 hours of content - were provided to ProPublica and Documented by a person who had access to them. ... Read more

DNC launches first Harris-Walz ad blitz
Axios | Erin Doherty | 08/12/24

The Democratic National Committee on Monday is launching its first ad blitz since Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz (Minn.) officially became the party's presidential and VP nominees.

Why it matters: One of those ads is a billboard on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada, a splashy reminder that Democrats are making a play for the state that Republicans thought they had in the bag.

The DNC says it is launching more than 80 billboards, which will run in English and Spanish, in and around the major metropolitan areas in the swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Cities on the list include Pittsburgh, Phoenix, Milwaukee, Asheville and Grand Rapids. ... Read more

Demoralized Americans give democracy low odds of surviving election in poll
Axios | April Rubin | 08/09/24

Only one in five U.S. adults believe democracy will withstand the 2024 presidential election, according to AP-NORC poll data on Thursday.

Why it matters: Prospective voters are demoralized by the outcome regardless of whether Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Trump wins the historic matchup.

Another one out of five believe "democracy is already so seriously broken that it doesn't matter who wins."

The big picture: President Biden said he's "not confident at all" that a peaceful transfer of power will take place in November if Trump loses the election.

By the numbers: 59% of U.S. adults overall said the outcome of the election could put democracy at risk. 58% of Republicans and 67% of Democrats said the same. ... Read more

markets are like dealing with a toddler tantrum
Axios | Neil Irwin | 08/08/24

The Bank's hawkish tone last week, paired with a worsening U.S. outlook, drove a collapse in Japanese stocks on Monday as traders unwound yen-based trades.

But, it appears, asymmetrical risk (see full article) is what investors have come to believe in

"They have become far too sensitive of market movements on the downside," Ruchir Sharma, author of a provocative new book called "What Went Wrong with Capitalism," tells Axios. "They are happy to let markets rip on the upside but at the slightest sign of any trouble on the downside want to react to it."

"Central banks justify such a reaction function by saying that markets going down can have a negative impact on the economy, but they are only strengthening the feedback loop between the markets and the economy by being so sensitive to market movements," he said.

"This asymmetrical risk is what investors have come to believe in, letting markets get larger and larger as a share of the economy over time," added Sharma, the chairman of Rockefeller International. ... Read more

What Went Wrong with Capitalism by Ruchir Sharma

Capitalism didn't fail, it was ruined...

What went wrong with capitalism? Ruchir Sharma’s account is not like any you will have heard before. He says progressives are right, in part, when they mock modern capitalism as "socialism for the rich." For a century, governments have expanded in just about every measurable dimension, from spending to regulation and the scale of financial rescues when the economy wobbles. The result is expensive state guarantees for everyone-bailouts for the rich, entitlements for the middle class, welfare for the poor.

Taking you back to the 19th century, Sharma shows how completely the reflexes of government have changed: from hands-off to hands-on, from doing too little to help anyone in hard times to today trying to prevent anyone suffering any economic pain, ever. Trading sins of omission and indifference for excesses of spending and meddling, governments from the United States to Europe and Japan have pumped so much money into their economies that financial markets can no longer invest all that capital efficiently.

Inadvertently, they have fueled the rise of monopolies, "zombie" firms, and billionaires. They have made capitalism less fair and less efficient, which is slowing economic growth and fueling popular anger. The first step to a cure is a correct diagnose of the problem. Capitalism has been badly distorted by constant government intervention and the relentless spread of a bailout culture. Building an even bigger state will only double down on what ruined capitalism in the first place.

Tim Walz's "big dad energy" wins hearts across the internet
Axios | Ivana Saric | 08/08/24

Even before Vice President Kamala Harris officially picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, social media was replete with memes hailing him as "everyone's Midwestern dad."

Why it matters: The internet's embrace of Walz's affable nature and everyman appeal further highlights the contrast between the Republican and Democratic tickets in the 2024 race when it comes to appealing to young voters.

The big picture: In the weeks since Walz's stock began rising in the veepstakes, wholesome photos of him dancing, holding a sleeping piglet, and happily being hugged by a group of children have circulated on social media. ... Read more

Abortions exceed pre-Roe numbers as telehealth access grows
Axios | Sareen Habeshian | 08/08/24

The number of women getting abortions in the U.S. continued to climb in early 2024, surpassing the number of abortions performed before Roe v. Wade was overturned, according to a national report released Wednesday.

The big picture: The increase is partly driven by access to abortions via telehealth, which allows patients to circumvent state laws banning the procedure, according to a quarterly #WeCount report from the Society of Family Planning nonprofit.

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe, providers started offering medication abortion via telehealth under shield law protections.

Abortions provided via telehealth rose to 20% of all abortions in the first quarter of 2024, per the report. That's about 19,700 telehealth abortions per month. ... Read more

RFK Jr.: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | 07/08/24 | 31:31

QAnon Conspiracies Are Tearing Through Evangelical America | VICE News | 2022 | 14:14

Klepper Asks MAGA About the Shooting, Harris, and Both Parties' VP Noms | The Daily Show | 08/07/24 | 6:16

Trump says he's "thrilled" with Tim Walz as Harris VP pick
Axios | Ivana Saric | 08/07/24

Former President Trump told "Fox & Friends" Wednesday that he "could not be more thrilled" that Vice President Kamala Harris chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate.

1. "This is a ticket that would want this country to go communist immediately, if not sooner," Trump said.
2. Alluding to the fact that Walz was reportedly chosen over runner-up Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro - who is Jewish - Trump said Walz placement on the ticket was "very insulting to Jewish people."
3. Trump has repeatedly assailed Jewish people who vote for Democrats.
4. He made similar remarks Wednesday, telling the program that "I think that any Jewish person who votes for a Democrat, or in this case these people, but who votes for a Democrat, should have their head examined."
... Read more
The wealthiest 1% of the worlds population generate the same amount of carbon emissions as the poorest 2/3 of humanity!

Unions cheer Walz pick as Harris VP
Axios | Emily Peck | 08/07/24

Just last year, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a package of legislation considered one of the most sweeping pro-worker laws seen in the U.S. in decades.

The big picture: The battle over the labor vote is key to capturing the White House in November and Walz's selection as Kamala Harris' vice president seems aimed right at that constituency.

Union leaders and advocates for pro-worker and family policies like paid parental leave and childcare cheered Walz's selection on Tuesday.

State of play: Though the United Auto Workers took some time before endorsing Harris, they wasted none in boosting Walz. ... Read more

Harris picks Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as VP in 2024 election
Axios | Erin Doherty,Andrew Solender | 08/06/24

Walz, a military veteran and former public school teacher, served in the House for 12 years, representing a rural district in southern Minnesota. He was elected governor in 2018 and won re-election in 2022.

Walz ascended to the top of Harris' list of VP contenders in recent days, becoming an outspoken surrogate for the campaign.

Dozens of members of Congress advocated publicly and privately for their former House colleague to be picked.

He went viral for his use of the word "weird" to describe former President Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance. ... Read more

'Where did the cash go?': Maddow looks for clues in new report about Trump, Egypt and $10 million | MSNBC | 08/06/24 | 11:01

ECONOMIC BLOODBATH: $1.4 TRILLION LOST in a Day as Global Markets Panic & Major Indices Collapse | Lena Petrova | 08/05/24 | 10:37

Why Japan's currency is triggering a global market selloff
Axios | Hope King | 08/06/24

Japanese stocks saw their worst day today since 1987 as Japan's currency soared to a seven-month high against the U.S. dollar - triggering a selloff in global stocks.

Why it matters: There's an unwinding of the popular "yen carry trade" happening "at lightning speed" that will continue to cause volatility until it's over, Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley Wealth, tells Axios.

Catch up fast: The premise of the trade is simple: Investors borrow cheap yen in Japan, where interest rates have been stuck at zero, and buy higher yielding assets in other countries with predictable returns, such as U.S. stocks (primarily Big Tech names) and bonds.

Profit taking, concerns about the direction of the U.S. economy given Friday's U.S. jobs report and a traditional calendar cycle of selling in August and September also factored into the equation, he added. ... Read more

Jared Bernstein is an American government official who is the chair of the United States Council of Economic Advisers. | 08/05/24 | 2:00

Global markets plunge over recession fears
Axios | Business | 08/05/24

Fears of a U.S. recession tanked global markets Monday, with Japanese stocks suffering their biggest single-day rout since 1987's Black Monday.

Why it matters: Friday's dismal U.S. jobs report capped a series of worrying economic signs over the past few weeks, with clear cracks in what had been a robust post-pandemic expansion.

Zoom in: Wall Street's fear gauge, the VIX, is trading at levels not seen since June 2020.

U.S. stock futures tumbled Monday, with NASDAQ's futures falling as much as 4% pre-open.

Zoom out: In Japan, the Nikkei average shed a staggering 12.4% - the index's worst showing in percentage terms since the October 1987 crash, Reuters reports.

The Nikkei's 4,451-point loss was the biggest ever - eclipsing the 3,836 points it lost on Oct. 20, 1987, when the Black Monday crash hit Japan. ... Read more

Trump supporters

Stock slump worsens as recession worries grow
Axios | Matt Phillips | 08/05/24

What's going on: It's energy costs. The global surge in prices of crude oil, gasoline and natural gas is deeply unsettling to the world economy - and Russia just complicated matters further by cutting natural gas flows to Europe.

1. But it's also what rising energy costs will do to inflation. (Push it up.)
2. It's how central banks like the Federal Reserve will react to energy-driven inflation. (Push rates up)
3. And most recently, it's what the Fed's reaction to energy-driven inflation will do to economic growth. (Push it down ... potentially way down.)

The West Bank: Last Week Tonight | John Oliver | 08/01/24 | 30:37

Maddow Reveals The HIDDEN TRUTH Behind Trump's NEW Scandal

At Rolling Stone today they profile 70 different election officials who have been put into position in the swing states of Arizona Georgia Michigan Nevada North Carolina and Pennsylvania, who are election denialists committed election denialists officials that have been put in place in all of the swing states to make sure that election results no matter what they are do not get certified in those States.

This year "at least 22 of these election officials have already refused or delayed certification processes in recent elections" according to democratic election lawyer Mark Elias "I think we are going to see Mass refusals to certify the election in November. Republicans are counting on not just that they can disrupt the election in big counties, they're counting on the fact that if they don't don't certify in several small counties you can't certify Statewide results".

... Read more

Israel's new powder keg
Axios | Barak Ravid,Zachary Basu | 08/02/24

Israel's assassination spree in Iran and Lebanon has brought the Middle East closer to a devastating regional war than at any point since Hamas' Oct. 7 terrorist attack.

Why it matters: The dangerous spiral of escalation could drag the U.S. deeper into the regional crisis and lead to mass suffering well beyond Gaza, where hopes for a ceasefire and hostage deal are slipping away after months of careful negotiations.

For President Biden, who has vowed to use his remaining months in office to end the Israel-Hamas war and bring home the hostages, the stakes are legacy-defining.

Biden reaffirmed his commitment to Israel's security in a call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, where the two leaders discussed "new military deployments" to protect Israel from Iran. ... Read more

Heat wave builds from coast to coast, worsening wildfires
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 08/01/24/span>

As a strong area of high pressure aloft, or heat dome, intensifies and stretches its influence across the Lower 48 states, cities from Washington to Sacramento could near or surpass 100°F as early as Thursday.

The heat is forecast to persist the longest in the West, where the National Weather Service shows at least some risk of extreme heat through Aug. 10.

The heat index is likely to max out in the humid Mississippi River Valley during this event at around 115°F, according to the NWS.

"The combination of hot temperatures/high heat indices, as well as very warm morning lows only dropping into the mid- to upper 70s, will be dangerous to anyone without access to adequate air conditioning," ... Read more

How Sanctions Work: Iran and the Impact of Economic Warfare by Narges Bajoghli

Sanctions have enormous consequences. Especially when imposed by a country with the economic influence of the United States, sanctions induce clear shockwaves in both the economy and political culture of the targeted state, and in the everyday lives of citizens. But do economic sanctions induce the behavioral changes intended? Do sanctions work in the way they should? To answer these questions, the authors of How Sanctions Work highlight Iran, the most sanctioned country in the world. Comprehensive sanctions are meant to induce uprisings or pressures to change the behavior of the ruling establishment, or to weaken its hold on power. But, after four decades, the case of Iran shows the opposite to be true: sanctions strengthened the Iranian state, impoverished its population, increased state repression, and escalated Iran's military posture toward the U.S. and its allies in the region. Instead of offering an 'alternative to war,' sanctions have become a cause of war. Consequently, How Sanctions Work reveals how necessary it is to understand how sanctions really work.