therealnews--2020-05-05--Is Germany Dealing With COVID-19 As Well As We Think?

This is a rush transcript and may contain errors .
It will be updated .
Kim Brown : Welcome to The Real News .
I ’ m Kim Brown .
The response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany has been hailed as one of the best in the world .
The New York Times and other international media praised Germany , and called Chancellor Angela Merkel “ the leader of the free world.
” Insomuch as Germany has gotten the spread of the pandemic under control , it ’ s partly due to government policies , a strong healthcare system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the German government runs a budget surplus , and has resources that can be quickly diverted to deal with the crisis .
One of the most praised points of German policy is the issue of transparency .
Every day , the Robert Koch Institute of Disease Control issues a statement and updates the public .
Here ’ s the statement from Tuesday by Professor Lothar Wieler , the president of the Robert Koch Institute : “ [ foreign language 00:00:52 ] … ” “ What ’ s good is that the hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intensive care beds and ventilators , based on the current situation , and I underline ‘ current.
’ We do not foresee any shortages.
” “ [ foreign language 00:01:08 ] .
” “ So far , we have been able to get through this epidemic relatively well together , and together is important to me .
This virus continues to be in our country , and is here to stay for the months to come , but so far , we are successful.
” “ [ foreign language 00:01:31 ] .
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in handling COVID-19 is a lot of hype .
After all , thousands of people have already died , and the German economy ground to a screeching halt .
In his article titled Stop Telling Me That Everything is Fine in Germany , Phil Butland tells the part of the story which is rarely acknowledged in the international press .
And today we are joined by Phil Butland .
He ’ s originally from Bradford , U.K. , but he ’ s lived in Germany for 25 years .
He ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Group , which politically organizes non-Germans living in Berlin .
He joins us today .
Phil , thank you so much for being here .
Phil Butland : Thank you for inviting me .
It ’ s great to talk to you .
Kim Brown : So , can you start off by telling us about how you have been affected by the pandemic , and by the subsequent lockdown in Germany ?
Phil Butland : Well , me personally is actually , it ’ s a biggie , because I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ departments where I worked .
I ’ ve been handed notice and told I don ’ t have a job anymore .
There ’ s quite a lot of people who are like this .
On a more general level , people are staying inside .
The world has stopped .
Okay , that ’ s for most people .
But there are other people who are still forced to go into work , who are working under unsafe conditions .
They reopened the schools this week , and so there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hide from the virus , and the attempt to push German business to carry on as normal .
Kim Brown : You say that you lost your job as a result of the lockdown caused by the pandemic .
I ’ m curious , what is the German response to those who are unemployed ?
I know here in the U.S. we have , I think the number is at 26 million people who have applied for unemployment benefits , but state unemployment websites have been crashing , and therefore payments have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the German governmental response to the unemployment issue there ?
Phil Butland : Well , okay .
There ’ s unemployment , and there ’ s people who have been sent back home , which are two different things .
People who are sent back home come back to work after the thing is over .
The German , they get [ inaudible 00:03:57 ] of the wages , which I think it ’ s lower than the States .
It ’ s the lowest rates in Europe .
It ’ s lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government in Britain is offering .
The unemployment isn ’ t starting to hit much , but we ’ re going to see much more of it .
I don ’ t know how many people .
It was quite a complete surprise to us .
I rather feel that our case , as in another , it ’ s not that we ’ re being sacked because of the virus .
It ’ s because the virus is being used by some companies who would find it hard to get rid of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : So , the German healthcare system is widely praised .
First of all , it has the highest number of intensive care unit beds outside of the United States .
Kim Brown : There are many small hospitals that are within easy accessibility to large portions of the population .
But in your article , you show that Germany has been slashing its healthcare budget .
What are the reasons behind that action ?
Phil Butland : Well , I mean , maybe to look at why Germany has so many beds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so well .
Hospitals are run on a state basis , not on a national basis , and there ’ s been various competition between different states , which has led to empty beds .
This has caused the states to crack down , and to… And as I say , it ’ s not a new thing .
In the last year , health was cut by 5 % , but [ inaudible 00:05:27 ] of the budgets went up .
But we ’ re having 10 , 20 years of privatization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Berlin , which I know best because it ’ s where I live , a number of the hospitals which used to belong to the state have been semi-privatized .
There ’ s been companies set up which formally belong to the state , but don ’ t have to give the same conditions .
So , yes .
On the one hand , there are the free beds .
On the other hand , the conditions for health workers have been terrible , and have been getting worse for more than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean ?
I guess now that the health workers are going on to 12 hour shifts and things , they are being put into a terrible condition , and work in wards which are already understaffed .
What they ’ re doing is marvelous , but they really deserve a lot more government support than they have been getting .
Kim Brown : So , the lockdown is being enforced differently in different parts of the country .
But you argue that living in Berlin , from your observations , and maybe from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anecdotally , that Berlin police are more likely to detain people of color for violating the curfew .
Why do you think that is , and why do you think that ’ s not a bigger story internationally ?
Phil Butland : I think people are confusing that there are two different lockdowns going on .
The one lockdown is what I ’ d call their lockdown , which is we have a very right-wing home office minister , interior minister , who has never been a friend of refugees , never been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We also have [ inaudible 00:07:15 ] .
Germany is not unique in having a racist police force , but we do .
And so , something which is part of daily , if you use public transport , you see people of color being rounded up generally .
It ’ s now police and authority are feeling more able to do what they ’ ve been doing already .
The thing which is complicated is what I call our lockdown , which is that there is a push to… A lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even if you had a case of COVID-19 in your workplace , your boss could call you into work and say you ’ ve got to go into the workplace .
With the schools now , and with the opening of small , middle-sized shops , there ’ s a big pressure for people to use public transport , for people to go into crowded workplaces , even though that they ’ re unsafe .
And so , I think there ’ s a feeling of people who are reacting against this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put themselves in unsafe situations , and to , in a sense , accept that , “ Oh , the police and the authorities must know what they ’ re doing , ” because people feel very , very unsafe .
So , it ’ s a situation where divisions which were already there are exacerbated , because people don ’ t know what to do .
People feel powerless , and want someone to solve this problem for us .
Kim Brown : Finally , Phil , I want us to circle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic has caused , and furthermore , about the efforts used to curb infections in Germany .
Because , you know , Germany commands more resources than any other nation in the E.U .
How generous is Germany being with its neighbors , with its sister countries in the European Union , as it relates to sharing medical equipment , donating medical equipment , tests , et cetera ?
Phil Butland : One thing before I answer that .
Just , it ’ s overstated how well Germany is doing .
I checked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure it ’ s still [ inaudible 00:09:39 ] .
Tests per million people , Germany has just under 25,000 .
That ’ s 31st in the world , between Slovenia and Singapore .
Deaths per million , it ’ s a joint 22nd highest in the world .
There have been over 6,000 deaths .
So , the German rates are middling .
It ’ s probably not as bad as the States , but it ’ s nowhere near as good as places like New Zealand and Iceland .
In terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the beginning , there was help with people in Italy and in France , who were allowed to use German hospitals .
Regional governments have explicitly stopped that now with anti-foreigner rhetoric .
We also have the case of Euro bums , which was an attempt to get the E.U .
to solve this absolute crisis going on in southern Europe , in places like Spain and Greece , who were already suffering from the economic crisis , and who now have got pandemic in the country .
It was German and Dutch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ E.U .
is not going to give any financial help to these people.
” And so , while there ’ s been the odd cases of opening the hospitals , what ’ s most important to the German government is the German economy , and German control of the E.U .
What we saw with Greece a few years ago is now being used for the bounds of power between Germany , and places like Spain and Italy .
Kim Brown : If you could for us , Phil , describe the German @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curious how generous Germany is being with its own citizens who are facing forced time off , reduced hours , unemployment , low income for freelancers .
How does this compare… Whatever the German response is , how does it compare to other E.U .
nations , and who is doing it the best in the European Union , in your opinion ?
Phil Butland : Well , there ’ s what ’ s called [ inaudible 00:11:38 ] , which is the money you get for not going to work , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 % , 70 % if you have kids , and Germany ’ s the worst .
It ’ s the worst in Europe .
It ’ s lower than Britain .
It ’ s lower than Scandinavia and other countries .
In terms of social securities , in general , your first year of unemployment is great .
After that , you are again worse .
Worst position in Europe .
And in terms of… What was I going to say ?
I ’ ll come back to that when I remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In comparison with other countries , I really don ’ t… Now , I ’ m from Britain .
I know the situation in Britain is horrible .
I really think that all the European countries are carrying a profit motivator , that their main motivation is profit .
So , I don ’ t think it ’ s a question of wanting to be like another government , another country .
It ’ s wanting to be somewhere where the main concentration is on people ’ s health and well-being .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iceland , neither of which is in the E.U.
, are doing just slightly better .
Spain seems to be doing okay .
But I don ’ t think any other country has got it really right .
The one thing I was going to say before , which I think is important .
The German health insurance is pretty good , if you ’ ve got health insurance .
The official figures are that 80,000 people don ’ t , and that ’ s mainly refugees and the homeless .
Unofficial figures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have health insurance , and so they ’ ve fallen through the gaps .
In the States , I know you ’ re not going to find that scandalous , but someone from Britain who grew up with the Health Service , the fact that 1 % of the population is absolutely having to pay all their costs from this , it appalls me .
Maybe this is European privilege over the terrible situation that you have .
But basically , the people who have been covered best are the middle classes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will start to suffer more as this goes on further .
Again , it ’ s the people who are being forced into work , and not the people who could do a home office from home .
It ’ s construction workers .
It ’ s people who work on the airports and things , which is crazy .
They are the ones who are being put into danger .
Kim Brown : We ’ ve been speaking with Phil Butland .
Phil is originally from Bradford , U.K. , but he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past 25 years .
He is the joint speaker of the Linke Berlin International Group , which politically organizes non-Germans living in Berlin .
His piece is titled Stop Telling Me Everything is Fine in Germany .
It is a very good critique of how the German government is handling the COVID-19 pandemic .
Phil , we appreciate you taking the time to speak with us today .
Thank you .
Phil Butland : Thank you .
Just if I can get to the last plug in , my article and lots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theleftberlin.com .
We welcome anybody who comes and comments and engages in the dialogue .
Kim Brown : Absolutely .
Real News gang , be sure to visit that website .
Again , thank you for watching The Real News Network .

Despite the hype around Chancellor Angela Merkel’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, testing kits are still scarce, medical teams are overworked, and unemployed workers receive less compensation than in other European countries.
Story Transcript
This is a rush transcript and may contain errors. It will be updated.
Kim Brown: Welcome to The Real News. I’m Kim Brown. The response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany has been hailed as one of the best in the world. The New York Times and other international media praised Germany, and called Chancellor Angela Merkel “the leader of the free world.” Insomuch as Germany has gotten the spread of the pandemic under control, it’s partly due to government policies, a strong healthcare system, and also due to the fact that the German government runs a budget surplus, and has resources that can be quickly diverted to deal with the crisis.
One of the most praised points of German policy is the issue of transparency. Every day, the Robert Koch Institute of Disease Control issues a statement and updates the public. Here’s the statement from Tuesday by Professor Lothar Wieler, the president of the Robert
Koch Institute: “[foreign language 00:00:52]… ” “What’s good is that the hospital capacity remains large. We have enough intensive care beds and ventilators, based on the current situation, and I underline ‘current.’ We do not foresee any shortages.” “[foreign language 00:01:08].” “So far, we have been able to get through this epidemic relatively well together, and together is important to me. This virus continues to be in our country, and is here to stay for the months to come, but so far, we are successful.” “[foreign language 00:01:31].”
But maybe the so-called success of Germany in handling COVID-19 is a lot of hype. After all, thousands of people have already died, and the German economy ground to a screeching halt. In his article titled Stop Telling Me That Everything is Fine in Germany, Phil Butland tells the part of the story which is rarely acknowledged in the international press. And today we are joined by Phil Butland. He’s originally from Bradford, U.K., but he’s lived in Germany for 25 years. He’s a joint speaker of the Linke Berlin International Group, which politically organizes non-Germans living in Berlin. He joins us today. Phil, thank you so much for being here.
Phil Butland: Thank you for inviting me. It’s great to talk to you.
Kim Brown: So, can you start off by telling us about how you have been affected by the pandemic, and by the subsequent lockdown in Germany?
Phil Butland: Well, me personally is actually, it’s a biggie, because I’ve been sacked. They closed down various departments where I worked. I’ve been handed notice and told I don’t have a job anymore. There’s quite a lot of people who are like this. On a more general level, people are staying inside. The world has stopped. Okay, that’s for most people. But there are other people who are still forced to go into work, who are working under unsafe conditions. They reopened the schools this week, and so there’s a tension here between people trying to hide from the virus, and the attempt to push German business to carry on as normal.
Kim Brown: You say that you lost your job as a result of the lockdown caused by the pandemic. I’m curious, what is the German response to those who are unemployed? I know here in the U.S. we have, I think the number is at 26 million people who have applied for unemployment benefits, but state unemployment websites have been crashing, and therefore payments have been delayed. So, what has been the German governmental response to the unemployment issue there?
Phil Butland: Well, okay. There’s unemployment, and there’s people who have been sent back home, which are two different things. People who are sent back home come back to work after the thing is over. The German, they get [inaudible 00:03:57] of the wages, which I think it’s lower than the States. It’s the lowest rates in Europe. It’s lower than what the [inaudible 00:04:03] government in Britain is offering. The unemployment isn’t starting to hit much, but we’re going to see much more of it. I don’t know how many people. It was quite a complete surprise to us. I rather feel that our case, as in another, it’s not that we’re being sacked because of the virus. It’s because the virus is being used by some companies who would find it hard to get rid of people in other ways.
Kim Brown: So, the German healthcare system is widely praised. First of all, it has the highest number of intensive care unit beds outside of the United States.
Phil Butland: Yeah.
Kim Brown: There are many small hospitals that are within easy accessibility to large portions of the population. But in your article, you show that Germany has been slashing its healthcare budget. What are the reasons behind that action?
Phil Butland: Well, I mean, maybe to look at why Germany has so many beds, and the hospitals have been going so well. Hospitals are run on a state basis, not on a national basis, and there’s been various competition between different states, which has led to empty beds. This has caused the states to crack down, and to… And as I say, it’s not a new thing. In the last year, health was cut by 5%, but [inaudible 00:05:27] of the budgets went up. But we’re having 10, 20 years of privatization and cuts in different hospitals. In Berlin, which I know best because it’s where I live, a number of the hospitals which used to belong to the state have been semi-privatized. There’s been companies set up which formally belong to the state, but don’t have to give the same conditions.
So, yes. On the one hand, there are the free beds. On the other hand, the conditions for health workers have been terrible, and have been getting worse for more than the last year. What’s this mean? I guess now that the health workers are going on to 12 hour shifts and things, they are being put into a terrible condition, and work in wards which are already understaffed. What they’re doing is marvelous, but they really deserve a lot more government support than they have been getting.
Kim Brown: So, the lockdown is being enforced differently in different parts of the country. But you argue that living in Berlin, from your observations, and maybe from what you’ve heard or seen anecdotally, that Berlin police are more likely to detain people of color for violating the curfew. Why do you think that is, and why do you think that’s not a bigger story internationally?
Phil Butland: I think people are confusing that there are two different lockdowns going on. The one lockdown is what I’d call their lockdown, which is we have a very right-wing home office minister, interior minister, who has never been a friend of refugees, never been a friend of people of color. We also have [inaudible 00:07:15]. Germany is not unique in having a racist police force, but we do. And so, something which is part of daily, if you use public transport, you see people of color being rounded up generally. It’s now police and authority are feeling more able to do what they’ve been doing already.
The thing which is complicated is what I call our lockdown, which is that there is a push to… A lot of people were having to go into work. Even if you had a case of COVID-19 in your workplace, your boss could call you into work and say you’ve got to go into the workplace. With the schools now, and with the opening of small, middle-sized shops, there’s a big pressure for people to use public transport, for people to go into crowded workplaces, even though that they’re unsafe. And so, I think there’s a feeling of people who are reacting against this pressure, that they have got to put themselves in unsafe situations, and to, in a sense, accept that, “Oh, the police and the authorities must know what they’re doing,” because people feel very, very unsafe. So, it’s a situation where divisions which were already there are exacerbated, because people don’t know what to do. People feel powerless, and want someone to solve this problem for us.
Kim Brown: Finally, Phil, I want us to circle back to the economic crisis that the pandemic has caused, and furthermore, about the efforts used to curb infections in Germany. Because, you know, Germany commands more resources than any other nation in the E.U. How generous is Germany being with its neighbors, with its sister countries in the European Union, as it relates to sharing medical equipment, donating medical equipment, tests, et cetera?
Phil Butland: One thing before I answer that. Just, it’s overstated how well Germany is doing. I checked the figures today, just to make sure it’s still [inaudible 00:09:39]. Tests per million people, Germany has just under 25,000. That’s 31st in the world, between Slovenia and Singapore. Deaths per million, it’s a joint 22nd highest in the world. There have been over 6,000 deaths. So, the German rates are middling. It’s probably not as bad as the States, but it’s nowhere near as good as places like New Zealand and Iceland.
In terms of dealing with other countries, at the beginning, there was help with people in Italy and in France, who were allowed to use German hospitals. Regional governments have explicitly stopped that now with anti-foreigner rhetoric. We also have the case of Euro bums, which was an attempt to get the E.U. to solve this absolute crisis going on in southern Europe, in places like Spain and Greece, who were already suffering from the economic crisis, and who now have got pandemic in the country. It was German and Dutch governments who absolutely said, “The E.U. is not going to give any financial help to these people.” And so, while there’s been the odd cases of opening the hospitals, what’s most important to the German government is the German economy, and German control of the E.U. What we saw with Greece a few years ago is now being used for the bounds of power between Germany, and places like Spain and Italy.
Kim Brown: If you could for us, Phil, describe the German social safety net. I’m curious how generous Germany is being with its own citizens who are facing forced time off, reduced hours, unemployment, low income for freelancers. How does this compare… Whatever the German response is, how does it compare to other E.U. nations, and who is doing it the best in the European Union, in your opinion?
Phil Butland: Well, there’s what’s called [inaudible 00:11:38], which is the money you get for not going to work, and Germany stands at 60%, or 60%, 70% if you have kids, and Germany’s the worst. It’s the worst in Europe. It’s lower than Britain. It’s lower than Scandinavia and other countries. In terms of social securities, in general, your first year of unemployment is great. After that, you are again worse. Worst position in Europe. And in terms of… What was I going to say? I’ll come back to that when I remember what I was going to say.
In comparison with other countries, I really don’t… Now, I’m from Britain. I know the situation in Britain is horrible. I really think that all the European countries are carrying a profit motivator, that their main motivation is profit. So, I don’t think it’s a question of wanting to be like another government, another country. It’s wanting to be somewhere where the main concentration is on people’s health and well-being. It seems that places like New Zealand and Iceland, neither of which is in the E.U., are doing just slightly better. Spain seems to be doing okay. But I don’t think any other country has got it really right.
The one thing I was going to say before, which I think is important. The German health insurance is pretty good, if you’ve got health insurance. The official figures are that 80,000 people don’t, and that’s mainly refugees and the homeless. Unofficial figures, about 800,000 people don’t have health insurance, and so they’ve fallen through the gaps. In the States, I know you’re not going to find that scandalous, but someone from Britain who grew up with the Health Service, the fact that 1% of the population is absolutely having to pay all their costs from this, it appalls me. Maybe this is European privilege over the terrible situation that you have. But basically, the people who have been covered best are the middle classes, and the other people are suffering and will start to suffer more as this goes on further. Again, it’s the people who are being forced into work, and not the people who could do a home office from home. It’s construction workers. It’s people who work on the airports and things, which is crazy. They are the ones who are being put into danger.
Kim Brown: We’ve been speaking with Phil Butland. Phil is originally from Bradford, U.K., but he’s been living in Germany for the past 25 years. He is the joint speaker of the Linke Berlin International Group, which politically organizes non-Germans living in Berlin. His piece is titled Stop Telling Me Everything is Fine in Germany. It is a very good critique of how the German government is handling the COVID-19 pandemic. Phil, we appreciate you taking the time to speak with us today. Thank you.
Phil Butland: Thank you. Just if I can get to the last plug in, my article and lots of other articles are on the website theleftberlin.com. We welcome anybody who comes and comments and engages in the dialogue.
Kim Brown: Absolutely. Real News gang, be sure to visit that website. Again, thank you for watching The Real News Network.
Production: Genevieve Montinar, Will Arenas, Andrew Corkery
Studio: Will Arenas
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therealnews--2020-05-05--Refocusing May Day On The Revolutionary Struggle For Workers’ Rights

This is a rush transcript and may contain errors .
It will be updated .
Jacqueline Luqman : This is Jacqueline Luqman with the Real News Network .
If you grew up like I did , when you were in elementary school , you and your best classmates wore your best duds to school on the first day of school in May .
Then you went outside during recess and skipped to some creepy song that you probably can ’ t totally remember , as you wrapped some ribbons around a maypole allegedly in celebration of spring .
That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about May Day during my American school indoctrination .
But the truth is that May 1st is actually International Worker ’ s Day and it ’ s an official holiday in 66 countries .
Observers commemorate past labor struggles for workers ’ rights , including reducing work days of 10 or more hours to an eight hour workday , ending seven days a week work schedules or establishing the weekend , addressing unsafe working conditions , and ending child labor .
Officially , that is , because it certainly still happens in some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Worker ’ s Day is mostly recognized as a celebration of workers in countries other than the United States .
That ’ s weird because the U.S. is where International Workers ’ Day got started .
It all started in 1884 when the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions , which is the predecessor of the American Federation of Labor , called for May 1st , 1886 to be the beginning of a nationwide movement for the eight hour day .
Even though the federal government already had a law that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hour workday , it wasn ’ t enforced and Illinois employers often made employees sign waivers of the law as a condition of employment .
So the movement got started in Chicago because of this , and it was typical for workers to be forced to endure 10 or more hour workdays .
Chicago labor organizers worked for two years to gain support for a citywide walkout to protest the long and grueling work days among other worker issues .
Spearheading the effort were Lucy and Albert Parsons .
Lucy had been born @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She worked for the Freedman ’ s Bureau after the civil war and moved to Chicago after marrying Albert , where she began writing and organizing seamstresses in the city .
Albert was a printer , a member of the Knights of Labor , which was the first major labor organization in the U.S .
He was an editor of the labor paper , The Alarm , and one of the founders of the Chicago Trades and Labor Assembly .
The Parsons were among a group of anarchists who sought to put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that emphasized worker-controlled industry , and valued direct action over the bureaucratic political process .
These people became respected household names across the country during this time of widespread labor organizing .
That organizing resulted in more than 300,000 workers from 13,000 businesses across the United States walking off their jobs on Saturday , May 1st , 1886 .
Remember , there was no weekend at that time , that ’ s what they were pushing for in the first May Day celebration in history .
In Chicago , which was the epicenter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40,000 went out on strike .
The protests continued into Sunday and Monday when the Chicago police attacked and killed several striking workers at the McCormick Reaper Works .
A multi-day protest against the police violence was planned for May 4th through the 10th in Haymarket Square in Chicago , and just as many as had walked out of work were expected to attend , but rain kept many away .
At the end of the first night of speakers , 176 Chicago policemen attacked the remaining crowd of a few hundred .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this day threw a stick of dynamite … maybe at the police , may be into the crowd .
No one really knows , but it set off a blind firing melee by the police , not just into the crowd of protestors , but into their own ranks in the rainy darkness of Haymarket Square .
The organizers of the protests , Albert Parsons , August spies , Samuel Fielding , Oscar Neebe , Michael Schwab , George Engel , Adolph Fischer and Louis Lingg were arrested and convicted of murder , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Haymarket , and those three were never identified as the person who threw the bomb .
On November 11th , 1887 after many failed appeals , Parsons , Spies , Engel , and Fischer were hanged to death .
Louis Lingg in his final protest , took his own life the night before his execution with an explosive device in his mouth .
The remaining organizers , Fielding , Neebe and Schwab were pardoned six years later by governor Altgeld , who publicly criticized the presiding judge for the travesty of justice committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Haymarket massacre , Big Business and Government conducted what some say was the very first Red Scare in this country .
Spun by mainstream media , anarchism became synonymous with bomb throwing and socialism became un-American .
The common image of an anarchist became a bearded Eastern European immigrant with a bomb in one hand and the dagger and the other .
But around the world , the story was different .
In 1889 the International Socialist Conference declared that in commemoration of the Haymarket massacre , May 1st would be an international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Worker ’ s Day .
But not in the U.S. because between 1921 to 1958 , May 1 was also known as Americanization Day , a holiday of forced patriotism conceived after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia , which ignited a renewed current of militancy within the American labor movement .
And in 1955 at the peak of the anticommunist Red Scare , Wisconsin Senator , Joseph McCarthy , led Congress to pass a resolution deeming May 1st Loyalty Day , which was made an annual holiday three years later .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first Loyalty Day address to the nation that it should be a day for “ Solemn reevaluation of those priceless gifts of freedom , which are our heritage.
” Now you know none of this was about freedom , it was about crushing dissent and destroying labor unions and workers ’ rights movements in the U.S. using the rabid anticommunist and anti-socialist sentiment as an excuse .
What ’ s worse ?
Those holidays have been replaced by an even more insidious eraser of the deep history of labor struggle in this country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we call Labor Day .
It ’ s supposed to honor workers , but it actually does not honor the real struggle for workers ’ rights in this country that the international workers movement honors to this day .
Enjoy your extra day off if you get it , but don ’ t agitate for better pay , better benefits or safety .
Nothing like that , just to enjoy that hot dog at the beach , folks .
In the U.S. May 1st , 2020 has been marked as the beginning of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggle for worker solidarity , workers ’ rights , and empowerment against the bloodthirsty capitalist forces that still force us to choose a paycheck over our personal safety .
Especially as businesses pushing now to reopen amid the continued spread of COVID-19 , workers are actively challenging employers for basic safety measures like providing them PPE and paid sick leave , but the bosses are once again putting their profits over people ’ s lives .
Actions are being planned by a coalition of organizations under several banners to be held on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until worker ’ s demands are met .
So let us join in and reclaim the rich history of labor struggle and unity in the U.S. as you respect striking workers wherever you encounter them across this country and never cross a picket line .
Solidarity forever .
Workers of the world , unite .

The revolutionary history of May Day is recognized around the world in a way that should inspire workers in the United States to continue their fight.
Story Transcript
This is a rush transcript and may contain errors. It will be updated.
Jacqueline Luqman: This is Jacqueline Luqman with the Real News Network. If you grew up like I did, when you were in elementary school, you and your best classmates wore your best duds to school on the first day of school in May. Then you went outside during recess and skipped to some creepy song that you probably can’t totally remember, as you wrapped some ribbons around a maypole allegedly in celebration of spring. That’s pretty much all I remember learning about May Day during my American school indoctrination. But the truth is that May 1st is actually International Worker’s Day and it’s an official holiday in 66 countries. Observers commemorate past labor struggles for workers’ rights, including reducing work days of 10 or more hours to an eight hour workday, ending seven days a week work schedules or establishing the weekend, addressing unsafe working conditions, and ending child labor. Officially, that is, because it certainly still happens in some places in the world. But International Worker’s Day is mostly recognized as a celebration of workers in countries other than the United States. That’s weird because the U.S. is where International Workers’ Day got started.
It all started in 1884 when the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions, which is the predecessor of the American Federation of
Labor, called for May 1st, 1886 to be the beginning of a nationwide movement for the eight hour day. Even though the federal government already had a law that was supposed to guarantee federal employees an eight hour workday, it wasn’t enforced and Illinois employers often made employees sign waivers of the law as a condition of employment. So the movement got started in Chicago because of this, and it was typical for workers to be forced to endure 10 or more hour workdays. Chicago labor organizers worked for two years to gain support for a citywide walkout to protest the long and grueling work days among other worker issues. Spearheading the effort were Lucy and Albert Parsons. Lucy had been born a slave in Texas in around 1853. She worked for the Freedman’s Bureau after the civil war and moved to Chicago after marrying Albert, where she began writing and organizing seamstresses in the city. Albert was a printer, a member of the Knights of Labor, which was the first major labor organization in the U.S.
He was an editor of the labor paper, The Alarm, and one of the founders of the Chicago Trades and Labor Assembly. The Parsons were among a group of anarchists who sought to put an end all hierarchical structures including government that emphasized worker-controlled industry, and valued direct action over the bureaucratic political process. These people became respected household names across the country during this time of widespread labor organizing. That organizing resulted in more than 300,000 workers from 13,000 businesses across the United States walking off their jobs on Saturday, May 1st, 1886. Remember, there was no weekend at that time, that’s what they were pushing for in the first May Day celebration in history. In Chicago, which was the epicenter for the eight hour day agitators, 40,000 went out on strike. The protests continued into Sunday and Monday when the Chicago police attacked and killed several striking workers at the McCormick Reaper Works. A multi-day protest against the police violence was planned for May 4th through the 10th in Haymarket Square in Chicago, and just as many as had walked out of work were expected to attend, but rain kept many away.
At the end of the first night of speakers, 176 Chicago policemen attacked the remaining crowd of a few hundred. Someone who has never been identified to this day threw a stick of dynamite … maybe at the police, may be into the crowd. No one really knows, but it set off a blind firing melee by the police, not just into the crowd of protestors, but into their own ranks in the rainy darkness of Haymarket Square. The organizers of the protests, Albert Parsons, August spies, Samuel Fielding, Oscar Neebe, Michael Schwab, George Engel, Adolph Fischer and Louis Lingg were arrested and convicted of murder, though only three were even present at Haymarket, and those three were never identified as the person who threw the bomb. On November 11th, 1887 after many failed appeals, Parsons, Spies, Engel, and Fischer were hanged to death. Louis Lingg in his final protest, took his own life the night before his execution with an explosive device in his mouth. The remaining organizers, Fielding, Neebe and Schwab were pardoned six years later by governor Altgeld, who publicly criticized the presiding judge for the travesty of justice committed against the organizers.
Immediately after the Haymarket massacre, Big Business and Government conducted what some say was the very first Red Scare in this country. Spun by mainstream media, anarchism became synonymous with bomb throwing and socialism became un-American. The common image of an anarchist became a bearded Eastern European immigrant with a bomb in one hand and the dagger and the other. But around the world, the story was different. In 1889 the International Socialist Conference declared that in commemoration of the Haymarket massacre, May 1st would be an international holiday for labor known today as International Worker’s Day. But not in the U.S. because between 1921 to 1958, May 1 was also known as Americanization Day, a holiday of forced patriotism conceived after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, which ignited a renewed current of militancy within the American labor movement. And in 1955 at the peak of the anticommunist Red Scare, Wisconsin Senator, Joseph McCarthy, led Congress to pass a resolution deeming May 1st Loyalty Day, which was made an annual holiday three years later.
In fact, President Eisenhower said in his first Loyalty Day address to the nation that it should be a day for “Solemn reevaluation of those priceless gifts of freedom, which are our heritage.” Now you know none of this was about freedom, it was about crushing dissent and destroying labor unions and workers’ rights movements in the U.S. using the rabid anticommunist and anti-socialist sentiment as an excuse. What’s worse? Those holidays have been replaced by an even more insidious eraser of the deep history of labor struggle in this country with a banal beach getaway day, we call Labor Day. It’s supposed to honor workers, but it actually does not honor the real struggle for workers’ rights in this country that the international workers movement honors to this day. Enjoy your extra day off if you get it, but don’t agitate for better pay, better benefits or safety. Nothing like that, just to enjoy that hot dog at the beach, folks.
In the U.S. May 1st, 2020 has been marked as the beginning of a new, protracted nationwide movement and struggle for worker solidarity, workers’ rights, and empowerment against the bloodthirsty capitalist forces that still force us to choose a paycheck over our personal safety. Especially as businesses pushing now to reopen amid the continued spread of COVID-19, workers are actively challenging employers for basic safety measures like providing them PPE and paid sick leave, but the bosses are once again putting their profits over people’s lives. Actions are being planned by a coalition of organizations under several banners to be held on the first day of every month after May until worker’s demands are met. So let us join in and reclaim the rich history of labor struggle and unity in the U.S. as you respect striking workers wherever you encounter them across this country and never cross a picket line. Solidarity forever. Workers of the world, unite.
Studio: Taylor Hebden
Production: Taylor Hebden, Jacqueline Luqman
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therealnews--2020-05-05--Stir Crazy! Episode #28: Cinco de Mayo

Stir Crazy! Episode #28: Cinco de Mayo

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therealnews--2020-05-05--Climate Crisis: KXL Legal Precedent, War and Climate, Slow Streets

Welcome back to TRNN ’ s Climate Crisis News Roundup .
In recent weeks , this column has focused heavily on the intersection between COVID-19 and the climate crisis , and that will continue as the pandemic sweeps through the world .
But climate change and the politics of surrounding this important issue are still happening outside of the context of COVID-19 , and we will use this space to tell those stories , too .
If you have a story you think deserves a spot in the roundup or story pitches in general , get in touch with me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter at @ SteveAHorn .
You can read last week ’ s edition here .
The Real News recently reported that a federal judge had nullified a permit given to the owner of the long-contested Keystone XL Pipeline , TC Energy ( formerly known as TransCanada ) .
In effect , the ruling has called the future of the pipeline—and many pipelines—into question .
Nationwide Permit 12 is granted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers .
Judge Brian Morris cited a violation of the Endangered Species Act when he gave the permit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corps to do a deeper analysis to demonstrate whether TC Energy could construct the pipeline without harming endangered species such as the pallid sturgeon fish or the American burying beetle .
Since early in the Obama administration , the climate movement has opposed the pipeline from Alberta , Canada to Steele City , Nebraska , slated to carry oil extracted from the Alberta tar sands to market .
The ruling on Nationwide Permit 12 , however , now has implications for federal pipeline and energy project permits going far beyond Keystone XL because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Permit 12 program at large .
Historically , Nationwide Permit 12 was utilized for small “ single and complete ” projects crossing water parcels half an acre in size or smaller .
But during the Obama years , in reaction to the protests and civil disobedience actions taken against Keystone XL , the Obama administration began using that permitting process to split pipelines into hundreds or thousands of half-acre pieces .
The process was a way around the more robust and democratic National Environmental Protection Act ( NEPA ) regulatory process , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearings phase .
Nationwide Permit 12 was used to push through the Dakota Access Pipeline , as well as the southern leg of the Keystone XL greenlit by President Barack Obama .
NEPA is now under further attack by the Trump administration .
The Trump administration has also utilized Nationwide Permit 12 over 37,000 times since renewing the blanket permitting mechanism in March 2017 .
The Army Corps of Engineers has advised other federal agencies to treat Morris ’ ruling as precedent-setting and has put 360 permit applications on hold .
First reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Army Corps wrote that because the judge did not say his ruling applied exclusively to Keystone XL , the Army Corps has said federal agencies should no longer use Nationwide Permit 12 “ out of an abundance of caution ” until the issue gets resolved in federal court .
The Trump administration has already requested a procedural halt on implementing Morris ’ decision until the appeal it intends to file waves its way through the court system .
“ The Court has eliminated Nationwide Permit 12 for use by any utility line project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extraordinary and immediate implications for numerous projects , ” the U.S. Department of Justice attorneys wrote .
The American Petroleum Institute , the lobbying voice of the oil and gas industry , has also filed an affidavit in favor of putting a procedural halt to Morris ’ ruling .
External corporate attorneys , too , have taken notice and expressed their own concerns about Morris ’ district court ruling .
“ The decision puts in limbo thousands of infrastructure projects nationwide that rely on NWP 12 for the construction , maintenance or repair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems for the oil and gas industry , which relies on the permit to facilitate projects ranging from large interstate pipelines to smaller gathering lines at exploration and production sites , ” wrote attorneys from Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck , a firm with close ties to the Trump administration , in one such reaction to the ruling .
And one fresh lawsuit filed on April 30 has already cited this new precedent in the fight against another contested pipeline called the Permian Highway in Texas , filed by the Sierra Club against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ District Court for the Western District of Texas .
Morris will make a decision on how broadly his ruling applies on or around May 8 .
Stay tuned for coverage on that here at The Real News .
A new report by the National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies , released on Earth Day , has pointed to something seldom acknowledged within the U.S. climate movement : Put simply , war does not just kill people , but it is also killing the planet by worsening the climate crisis .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : How Militarism Fuels the Climate Crisis—and Vice Versa , ” the report makes a point that even the U.S .
The Department of Defense readily admits : that climate change will increasingly act as a “ threat multiplier ” in fueling armed conflict as the climate crisis worsens .
This is also a thesis conveyed in Christian Parenti ’ s 2011 book Tropic of Chaos : Climate Change and the New Geography of Violence .
“ Rather than understanding it as a national security crisis , characterizing climate change as a ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond a militarized worldview and instead foster a spirit of global cooperation , ” the report reads .
“ Choosing solidarity over security , real safety comes when we care for each other and our environment.
” Pointing to a 2019 study by Brown University ’ s Neta Crawford , who The Real News interviewed back in July , the report points out that the Pentagon emits more greenhouse gases than the countries of Denmark , Sweden , and Portugal—combined .
And citing a 2018 report published by the group Securing America ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points out that the U.S. military spends $ 81 billion per year protecting global sealanes for oil .
Yet another example of imperial excess , the report points to the B-52 military jet , which emits more greenhouse gas into the atmosphere in one hour than an average car does in seven years .
Beyond rejecting the “ national security ” framework , the report also challenges the notion of “ greening the military , ” something promoted by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-MA ) during her bid to become the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make the U.S. war machine more fuel-efficient miss the point entirely , ” they write .
“ The climate justice movement calls for a restructuring of an extractive economy that is harming people and ecosystems .
Such aspirations and militarism are fundamentally at odds.
” And lastly for this week , we ’ ll end on a good note .
One of the outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic previously covered here has been less cars on the road , with cleaner air and what will likely amount to lower greenhouse gas emissions as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vast majority of the U.S. economy has come to a standstill and as employers with the ability to do so have implemented work-at-home regimes .
Besides bringing animals out of hiding and into public view , the new paradigm has also opened up a discussion on the future of driving and roads .
And in particular , on the proposal for “ slow streets.
” Slow streets are , in essence , the antithesis of typical American roads .
They are pedestrian friendly , have lower speed limits and also offer space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major U.S. metropolises and suburbs , such streets are non-existent .
But social distancing protocols have opened up a need for such streets to enable people to get fresh air while also maintaining proper spacing between one another .
On April 10 , Oakland began the most extensive slow streets program in the United States on 74 miles—or 10 % in total—of its roads .
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also opened up 100 miles of slow streets , as well .
Other American cities such as San Diego , Portland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baltimore , where The Real News Network is based , is also considering doing so .
In California , where use of the car reigns supreme , 41 % of greenhouse gas emissions came from automobiles , according to the most up-to-date data from 2017 .
Nationally , 28 % of emissions come from cars , according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data .
Cars are also a major source of microplastics emissions , circulating PM ( particulate matter ) 10 into the atmosphere via the friction of rubber tires meeting the road @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exhaust is linked to higher odds of obtaining respiratory illnesses , with that same population of people also more susceptible to contracting the coronavirus .
Beyond their emissions and health repercussions , U.S. roads saw 38,800 traffic deaths in 2019 and air pollution from auto emissions kills nearly twice over 58,000 people per year .
Slow streets are part of a broader new paradigm of thinking on roads called “ complete streets , ” which optimize more convenient access to public transit , access to safe bikeways , abundant greenspace and connected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as electronic scooters , mopeds and ride-sharing vehicles .

Welcome back to TRNN’s Climate Crisis News Roundup. In recent weeks, this column has focused heavily on the intersection between COVID-19 and the climate crisis, and that will continue as the pandemic sweeps through the world. But climate change and the politics of surrounding this important issue are still happening outside of the context of COVID-19, and we will use this space to tell those stories, too.
If you have a story you think deserves a spot in the roundup or story pitches in general, get in touch with me at steve@therealnews.com or on Twitter at @SteveAHorn. You can read last week’s edition here.
KXL Pipeline Ruling
The Real News recently reported that a federal judge had nullified a permit given to the owner of the long-contested Keystone XL Pipeline, TC Energy (formerly known as TransCanada).
In effect, the ruling has called the future of the pipeline—and many pipelines—into question. Nationwide Permit 12 is granted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Judge Brian Morris cited a violation of the Endangered Species Act when he gave the permit to TC Energy. Morris ordered the corps to do a deeper analysis to demonstrate whether TC Energy could construct the pipeline without harming endangered species such as the pallid sturgeon fish or the American burying beetle.
Since early in the Obama administration, the climate movement has opposed the pipeline from Alberta, Canada to Steele City, Nebraska, slated to carry oil extracted from the Alberta tar sands to market. The ruling on Nationwide Permit 12, however, now has implications for federal pipeline and energy project permits going far beyond Keystone XL because Morris’ ruling also vacated the Nationwide Permit 12 program at large.
Historically, Nationwide Permit 12 was utilized for small “single and complete” projects crossing water parcels half an acre in size or smaller. But during the Obama years, in reaction to the protests and civil disobedience actions taken against Keystone XL, the Obama administration began using that permitting process to split pipelines into hundreds or thousands of half-acre pieces. The process was a way around the more robust and democratic National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) regulatory process, which involves both a public commenting and public hearings phase. Nationwide Permit 12 was used to push through the Dakota Access Pipeline, as well as the southern leg of the Keystone XL greenlit by President Barack Obama.
NEPA is now under further attack by the Trump administration. The Trump administration has also utilized Nationwide Permit 12 over 37,000 times since renewing the blanket permitting mechanism in March 2017.
The Army Corps of Engineers has advised other federal agencies to treat Morris’ ruling as precedent-setting and has put 360 permit applications on hold. First reported on by the Associated Press, the Army Corps wrote that because the judge did not say his ruling applied exclusively to Keystone XL, the Army Corps has said federal agencies should no longer use Nationwide Permit 12 “out of an abundance of caution” until the issue gets resolved in federal court. The Trump administration has already requested a procedural halt on implementing Morris’ decision until the appeal it intends to file waves its way through the court system.
“The Court has eliminated Nationwide Permit 12 for use by any utility line project anywhere in the country, which has extraordinary and immediate implications for numerous projects,” the U.S. Department of Justice attorneys wrote.
The American Petroleum Institute, the lobbying voice of the oil and gas industry, has also filed an affidavit in favor of putting a procedural halt to Morris’ ruling. External corporate attorneys, too, have taken notice and expressed their own concerns about Morris’ district court ruling.
“The decision puts in limbo thousands of infrastructure projects nationwide that rely on NWP 12 for the construction, maintenance or repair of utility lines and poses particularly acute problems for the oil and gas industry, which relies on the permit to facilitate projects ranging from large interstate pipelines to smaller gathering lines at exploration and production sites,” wrote attorneys from Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, a firm with close ties to the Trump administration, in one such reaction to the ruling.
And one fresh lawsuit filed on April 30 has already cited this new precedent in the fight against another contested pipeline called the Permian Highway in Texas, filed by the Sierra Club against the Army Corps of Engineers in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
Morris will make a decision on how broadly his ruling applies on or around May 8. Stay tuned for coverage on that here at The Real News.
War Causes Climate Change
A new report by the National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, released on Earth Day, has pointed to something seldom acknowledged within the U.S. climate movement: Put simply, war does not just kill people, but it is also killing the planet by worsening the climate crisis.
Titled “No Warming, No War: How Militarism Fuels the Climate Crisis—and Vice Versa,” the report makes a point that even the U.S. The Department of Defense readily admits: that climate change will increasingly act as a “threat multiplier” in fueling armed conflict as the climate crisis worsens. This is also a thesis conveyed in Christian Parenti’s 2011 book Tropic of Chaos: Climate Change and the New Geography of Violence.
“Rather than understanding it as a national security crisis, characterizing climate change as a ‘planetary emergency’ may help to see beyond a militarized worldview and instead foster a spirit of global cooperation,” the report reads. “Choosing solidarity over security, real safety comes when we care for each other and our environment.”
Pointing to a 2019 study by Brown University’s Neta Crawford, who The Real News interviewed back in July, the report points out that the Pentagon emits more greenhouse gases than countries such as Denmark, Sweden, and Portugal. And citing a 2018 report published by the group Securing America’s Energy Future, the report further points out that the U.S. military spends $81 billion per year protecting global sealanes for oil. Yet another example of imperial excess, the report points to the B-52 military jet, which emits more greenhouse gas into the atmosphere in one hour than an average car does in seven years.
Beyond rejecting the “national security” framework, the report also challenges the notion of “greening the military,” something promoted by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) during her bid to become the Democratic Party presidential candidate.
“Plans to make the U.S. war machine more fuel-efficient miss the point entirely,” they write. “The climate justice movement calls for a restructuring of an extractive economy that is harming people and ecosystems. Such aspirations and militarism are fundamentally at odds.”
Slow Streets
And lastly for this week, we’ll end on a good note.
One of the outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic previously covered here has been less cars on the road, with cleaner air and what will likely amount to lower greenhouse gas emissions as a result. It has ensued as the vast majority of the U.S. economy has come to a standstill and as employers with the ability to do so have implemented work-at-home regimes. Besides bringing animals out of hiding and into public view, the new paradigm has also opened up a discussion on the future of driving and roads. And in particular, on the proposal for “slow streets.”
Slow streets are, in essence, the antithesis of typical American roads. They are pedestrian friendly, have lower speed limits and also offer space and protection for cyclists. In most major U.S. metropolises and suburbs, such streets are non-existent. But social distancing protocols have opened up a need for such streets to enable people to get fresh air while also maintaining proper spacing between one another.
On April 10, Oakland began the most extensive slow streets program in the United States on 74 miles—or 10% in total—of its roads. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also opened up 100 miles of slow streets, as well. Other American cities such as San Diego, Portland and Denver have all followed suit. Baltimore, where The Real News Network is based, is also considering doing so.
In California, where use of the car reigns supreme, 41% of greenhouse gas emissions came from automobiles, according to the most up-to-date data from 2017. Nationally, 28% of emissions come from cars, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data. Cars are also a major source of microplastics emissions, circulating PM (particulate matter) 10 into the atmosphere via the friction of rubber tires meeting the road. Inhalation of particulate matter and tailpipe exhaust is linked to higher odds of obtaining respiratory illnesses, with that same population of people also more susceptible to contracting the coronavirus. Beyond their emissions and health repercussions, U.S. roads saw 38,800 traffic deaths in 2019 and air pollution from auto emissions kills nearly twice over 58,000 people per year.
Slow streets are part of a broader new paradigm of thinking on roads called “complete streets,” which optimize more convenient access to public transit, access to safe bikeways, abundant greenspace and connected to a network of low-carbon mobility devices such as electronic scooters, mopeds and ride-sharing vehicles.
An earlier version of this article stated that “the Pentagon emits more greenhouse gases than the countries of Denmark, Sweden, and Portugal—combined.” In actuality, the Pentagon emits more greenhouse gases than each of those countries, but not more than all of them combined. We regret the error.
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therealnews--2020-05-05--Solitary Confinement Used For Children As Young As 11 After COVID-19 Exposure

Lawyers say Maryland ’ s Department of Juvenile Services and the Department of Correctional Services aren ’ t being transparent @ @ @ @ @ centers .

Lawyers say Maryland’s Department of Juvenile Services and the Department of Correctional Services aren’t being transparent about conditions in juvenile detention centers.
Story Transcript
This is a rush transcript and may contain errors. It will be updated.
Eddie Conway: I’m Eddie Conway coming to you from Baltimore for Rattling the Bars, which is for The Real News Network. There’s been a coalition of lawyers that have gotten together to look into juvenile detention centers to find out what young people are eligible for release, what young people are being held before trial. And they’re trying to expedite the early release of as many of these young people as possible in the juvenile center because of the COVID pandemic. So joining me today is [Jenny Egan 00:00:00:41], who is the chief counsel for the Maryland Public Defenders. She’s a chief juvenile counselor. Jenny, thanks for joining me.
Jenny Egan: Thank you for having me, Mr Conway.
Eddie Conway: Well, Jenny, can you tell us what’s going on in the juvenile detention centers in Maryland?
Jenny Egan: So the juvenile detention centers as they were before COVID-19 are filled mostly with low level offenders. So according to the Department of Juvenile Services, 74% of kids committed to its care, so those kids who are in youth prisons or youth placements, 74% of them are there for nonviolent felonies, misdemeanor offenses or technical violations of probation. And that’s true of 58% of kids in Department of Juvenile Services run youth jails or juvenile jails. And so what is happening for those children as COVID-19 has taken over is that many of them have been exposed. DJS has confirmed 13 cases in its 13 facilities, but that’s only what’s been confirmed. There has not been [inaudible 00:02:00] testing, so we don’t know how many kids are actually sick or who have been exposed.
For those children who have been exposed to positive staff members or other positive children, they’re being put in solitary confinement. They’re being locked in their cells 23 and a half, sometimes 24 hours a day. Children as young as 10 and 11 years old are being put in solitary confinement allegedly for their own protection.
Eddie Conway: What are the obstacles to getting young people released that are being held pretrial or that are vulnerable? What’s the problem?
Jenny Egan: The obstacles have been evolving, so the obstacles in the first two weeks of the pandemic were different than the middle two weeks and different from the most recent two weeks. But the biggest obstacle is the system’s commitment to mass incarceration and bureaucracy like the criminal and justice system that we have moves and turns very slowly. So first there were a number of courts that were slow to react to the crisis and did not foresee how difficult and how dangerous these facilities would become. So at first many courts across Maryland reacted slowly to the threat. The second problem is that things are more difficult now that we’re working remotely. As attorneys, we don’t have access to in-person visits, we don’t have access to courtrooms.
And so figuring out how to file and make sure that cases were getting docketed is very difficult when everyone is working via email. And third, there is a sense or a myth around kids in jail. One, people forget the kids are in jails and prisons. These are not cushy home-like settings. The jails that DJS operates are concrete walls and steel beds. There are toilets and sinks in the rooms with kids. They are jails. They are inhumane, horrible places. And part of the barrier is overcoming the misinformation around the conditions that children are held in. And then the next one, there’s been a number of problems. Some courts have continued to hold and argue that kids are safer in jails than they would be at home, which we know is true.
No one in the state Department of Health or even DJS is claiming that that’s the case. But we’ve had judges hold that on the record and that’s why we had to bring a suit in the Court of Appeals. Our writ of mandamus was denied, but Judge Barbera as we requested, issued an administrative order that said that this is an emergency and that these facilities pose real risk to kids. And only since that order came out about a week ago, have courts had to start making a determination whether or not kids are safer at home or in these facilities and really start dealing with the facts about what happens with outbreaks in congregate care facilities.
So the barriers have been multifaceted. It’s a bureaucracy. It’s been members of the bench and it has been the Department of Juvenile Services who has not been transparent about the risk posed to kids in its facilities, has not been transparent about how the measures that it is taking do not prevent widespread outbreaks. So DJS along with DOC will say, “This is what we’re doing. We’re making sure soap is provided, which it wasn’t in the beginning of the outbreak. We’re making sure the kids stay physically distanced and all of those things.” But they’re only doing that for kids who present symptoms. It creates a perverse incentive for children not to report if they feel sick. Right now DJS is not testing every kid who’s exposed. What they’re doing is a kid gets exposed, they put them in solitary, but they don’t test them.
So the kid was at risk enough to isolate them but not at risk enough to test them and find out if they might be sick. And DJS has simply not been transparent about the fact that they could take every step possible in a congregate care facility and it doesn’t stop the hundreds of staff that go in and out of that building from re-exposing children every day. We need widespread testing of every child in every facility and we need DJS to get a clear expert recommendation about how many kids need to be removed in order to keep a facility safe or to maintain physical distancing for those children that do remain. And they have not done that six weeks into this pandemic.
Eddie Conway: Okay. And you say some of the young people in these systems are as young as 10, 11 years old and so on?
Jenny Egan: In solitary confinement. Yes. The Lower Eastern Shore Children’s Center was one of the first DJS facilities to have a positive staff member. And there are very young children there who were then placed in what DJS euphemistically calls medical isolation. But that is being placed in a cell for 23 and a half hours a day. And the children were 10 and 11 years old. I have clients, my office has clients as young as 13 who are in solitary confinement sitting on Gay Street in Baltimore City.
Eddie Conway: So you said you have filed legal action and even though the action has been turned down, there was a emergency order out. Who’s monitoring what they’re doing now beyond this point.
Jenny Egan: It’s difficult to say. We believe that there needs to be more oversight. We would hope that legislatures and politicians would exert more oversight over DJS and the Department of Corrections who also has young people and children in its care, children charged as adults. We believe that there needs to be more oversight about how these conditions are being met, but also that every facility should have an estimate of how many people must be released in order to maintain physical distancing and for the outbreak not to spread inside.
It’s not enough to say we want to release a certain category of people. We have to know how many people a facility can safely maintain and then meet that goal, but they’re doing it the other way. And that is our concern is that DOC and DJS are not being clear on how many children must be removed from the facilities in order for the children who remain to keep physical distancing and remain safe.
Eddie Conway: So what can the public do if anything, to speed up the process of some oversight or some change?
Jenny Egan: For Maryland, we have a petition for Secretary Abed, it’s a hashtag bring our kids home. We would ask everyone to sign that petition as soon as possible, but call your legislators, tell them that DJS has over 500 kids in its care and we believe they must be brought home in order to keep them, the facilities, staff members, and all our communities safe. The problem with outbreaks inside is that they don’t stay inside. Outbreaks affect staff members, corrections officers, all of their families, and all of the community that comes into contact with those people.
In order to keep our community safe, we have to know how many kids need to be removed from those facilities so that they can be kept safe. Call your legislators, call your local policymakers and stakeholders and ask them to release children as soon as possible. We should not wait.
Eddie Conway: Okay. Thank you for that update, Jenny, and I think we will be back to you again later on.
Jenny Egan: Thank you, Mr Conway.
Eddie Conway: Okay. And thank you for joining this episode of Rattling the Bars.
Studio: Cameron Granadino
Production: Ericka Blount
Post-Production: Cameron Granadino
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therealnews--2020-05-05--Johns Hopkins Leads The COVID-19 Response, But Just Laid Off Its Low-Wage Workers

This is a rush transcript and may contain errors .
It will be updated .
Speaker 1 : Please know we ’ re out here today not begging for anything .
These workers hold these buildings down at LeBron Hall , Fresh Food Cafe , Charles Street Market , Nolan ’ s , Peabody and The Lab .
They hold this place down .
They feed these students .
They continue to feed these students .
They risk their lives every single day .
Gloria Huggins .
Jaisal : On May 1st , workers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ names of the 188 cafeteria workers laid off due to the coronavirus pandemic , and say the school promised to give the workers four weeks pay , something the university disputes .
Speaker 1 : You committed to help your coworkers in this time of need to give them four weeks pay .
And just a few days ago , John Hopkins University reneged on their promise .
Jeffrey Allen .
Speaker 1 : Out here with us today , Janika Hudson .
Jaisal : In a statement Johns Hopkins said , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can ’ t pay their laid off workers because it could jeopardize their eligibility for federal stimulus payments .
Hopkins , which has been on the forefront of the global response to the pandemic , is projecting a hundred million dollar loss this year .
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak , its endowment was worth approximately $ 6 billion in 2019 .
The workers represented by Unite Here Local seven are predominantly African American .
Hopkins announced the creation of a relief fund last week to “ provide financial support for displaced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardships.
” Unite Here Local seven president Roxy Herbeckian says Hopkins hasn ’ t responded to workers ’ demands for weeks and says workers would not lose eligibility for federal stimulus payments if the university paid their workers as they had promised .
Speaker 1 : We are essential .
We are essential .
We are essential .
We are essential .
Jaisal : With Cameron Granadino , this is Jaisal Noor in Baltimore .

At a May Day rally, workers said Johns Hopkins University reneged on a commitment to give laid off workers four weeks pay.
Story Transcript
This is a rush transcript and may contain errors. It will be updated.
Speaker 1: Please know we’re out here today not begging for anything. These workers hold these buildings down at LeBron Hall, Fresh Food Cafe, Charles Street Market, Nolan’s, Peabody and The Lab. They hold this place down. They feed these students. They continue to feed these students. They risk their lives every single day. Gloria Huggins.
Crowd: Is an essential worker.
Speaker 1: Gregory Power.
Crowd: Is an essential worker. [crosstalk 00:00:31]
Jaisal: On May 1st, workers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore staged a socially distance protest reading the names of the 188 cafeteria workers laid off due to the coronavirus pandemic, and say the school promised to give the workers four weeks pay, something the university disputes.
Speaker 1: You committed to help your coworkers in this time of need to give them four weeks pay. And just a few days ago, John Hopkins University reneged on their promise. Jeffrey Allen.
Crowd: Is an essential worker.
Speaker 1: Out here with us today, Janika Hudson.
Crowd: Is an essential worker.
Jaisal: In a statement Johns Hopkins said, while they remained committed to their workforce, they can’t pay their laid off workers because it could jeopardize their eligibility for federal stimulus payments. Hopkins, which has been on the forefront of the global response to the pandemic, is projecting a hundred million dollar loss this year. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, its endowment was worth approximately $6 billion in 2019. The workers represented by Unite Here Local seven are predominantly African American. Hopkins announced the creation of a relief fund last week to “provide financial support for displaced contract workers and employees facing COVID-19 related hardships.” Unite Here Local seven president Roxy Herbeckian says Hopkins hasn’t responded to workers’ demands for weeks and says workers would not lose eligibility for federal stimulus payments if the university paid their workers as they had promised.
Speaker 1: We are essential. We are essential. We are essential. We are essential.
Jaisal: With Cameron Granadino, this is Jaisal Noor in Baltimore.
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therealnews--2020-05-06--Stir Crazy! Episode #29: Our Headline Writers are Still Recovering From Cinco de Mayo


therealnews--2020-05-06--California And Trump Push Geoengineering—A Fraught Climate Crisis Fix

This is a rush transcript and may contain errors .
It will be updated .
Kim Brown : Both California and the Trump Administration have advanced a controversial form of geoengineering , a technological proposal to alter the natural environment in an attempt to offset climate change and reverse engineer the climate crisis .
The two , often at odds with one another on climate policy , have quietly found common ground on this issue .
Geoengineering is a climate solution favored by Big Oil .
That ’ s the case because it does not ask them to reduce emissions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invest in more technology .
Muffet : It ’ s the idea that rather than addressing the root causes of climate change , which are the massive and unsustainable burning of fossil fuels , we will instead either mask the impacts of climate change by modifying the amount of sunlight coming that reaches the earth or we will magically suck carbon out of the atmosphere even while we continue to burn massive amounts of fossil fuels .
Kim Brown : At a February third hearing , Mary Nichols , who was the head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the state ’ s climate regulatory agency , became the first major state leader to praise one form of geoengineering called direct air capture .
Speaker 3 : There are a number of very small at the moment pilot projects that are looking at direct air capture of CO2 .
We need to be at the forefront of looking at these technologies and figuring out how we can pioneer some of them .
Kim Brown : Weeks later , California law makers introduced legislation calling for the state to subsidize direct air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suit .
On March 30th the Department of Energy announced $ 22 million in financing for research efforts aimed at commercializing the technique .
Muffet is wary of direct air capture .
Muffet : Many people are familiar with the idea of carbon capture and storage , which is also a profoundly wasteful and energy inefficient way to deal with carbon emissions .
Direct air capture is substantially worse because instead of pulling carbon out of an industrial waste stream out of a pipe , you ’ re actually trying to suck it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profoundly energy intensive .
It ’ s not been demonstrated at any meaningful scale .
Kim Brown : Proponents of it see it differently .
Here ’ s George [ Perytis 00:02:30 ] , a researcher for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory , a California based science research center funded by the federal government testifying at a February third hearing .
George P. : The third approach involves using machines that scrub CO2 from the air in a process called direct air capture .
This can be applied anywhere that we have geothermal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can rely on this strategy to make as large a contribution to our goal as we choose .
Kim Brown : Perytis has reason to support geoengineering .
He formerly worked as a staff scientist advocate with the National Resources Defense Council , a group often seen as the establishment by the environmental movement .
The groups reliant on insider relationships with liberal political leaders often come into conflict with more grassroots oriented climate justice groups .
The push for geoengineering in California is part of a larger national push supported by Big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subsidies to bolster direct air capture already doled out by Congress .
Muffet : On carbon dioxide removal including direct air capture , the federal government adopted massive subsidies for these technologies in legislation that was adopted about a year and a half ago called 45Q .
And so we are already seeing the government supporting the sinking of massive money into the idea that we can suck carbon out of the atmosphere .
Kim Brown : 45Q is a tax provision subsidizing power plants and other industrial actors to vacuum in and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the atmosphere .
The FUTURE Act , a bill included as a provision within the budget bill in 2018 signed into law by President Donald Trump extended the tax credit .
According to the lobbying disclosure forms reviewed by The Real News , the FUTURE Act received a lobbying support from oil giant ExxonMobil and coal giant Peabody Energy .
Companies such as ExxonMobil , Chevron , and Occidental Petroleum have also poured money into scaling up direct air capture .
Speaker 5 : It reflects the way technology is further permeating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these types of futuristic solutions as opposed to addressing the root causes of the climate crisis , which is our dependence on fossil fuels and extractive industry .
Kim Brown : Ultimately , Muffet views the whole conversation surrounding geoengineering as a distraction .
Muffet : They ’ re sucking up valuable energy , valuable political will , and valuable resources from real solutions .
There are ways for California and other states to act , but direct air capture sends us in precisely the wrong direction at precisely the wrong time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News Network , I ’ m Kim Brown .
This piece was produced by our climate reporter , Steve Horn .
Speaker 5 : Thanks a lot for watching .
Appreciate it .
But do us one more solid favor .
Hit the subscribe button below .
You know you want to .
Stay up on the videos .

California has endorsed the use of direct air capture to reverse engineer the climate crisis with technology. The controversial method already has Big Oil’s support—and the Trump administration’s.
Story Transcript
This is a rush transcript and may contain errors. It will be updated.
Kim Brown: Both California and the Trump Administration have advanced a controversial form of geoengineering, a technological proposal to alter the natural environment in an attempt to offset climate change and reverse engineer the climate crisis. The two, often at odds with one another on climate policy, have quietly found common ground on this issue. Geoengineering is a climate solution favored by Big Oil. That’s the case because it does not ask them to reduce emissions or their carbon footprint, but simply invest in more technology.
Muffet: It’s the idea that rather than addressing the root causes of climate change, which are the massive and unsustainable burning of fossil fuels, we will instead either mask the impacts of climate change by modifying the amount of sunlight coming that reaches the earth or we will magically suck carbon out of the atmosphere even while we continue to burn massive amounts of fossil fuels.
Kim Brown: At a February third hearing, Mary Nichols, who was the head of California’s Air Resources Board, the state’s climate regulatory agency, became the first major state leader to praise one form of geoengineering called direct air capture.
Speaker 3: There are a number of very small at the moment pilot projects that are looking at direct air capture of CO2. We need to be at the forefront of looking at these technologies and figuring out how we can pioneer some of them.
Kim Brown: Weeks later, California law makers introduced legislation calling for the state to subsidize direct air capture. The Trump Administration has followed suit. On March 30th the Department of Energy announced $22 million in financing for research efforts aimed at commercializing the technique. Muffet is wary of direct air capture.
Muffet: Many people are familiar with the idea of carbon capture and storage, which is also a profoundly wasteful and energy inefficient way to deal with carbon emissions. Direct air capture is substantially worse because instead of pulling carbon out of an industrial waste stream out of a pipe, you’re actually trying to suck it out of the atmosphere. It is profoundly energy intensive. It’s not been demonstrated at any meaningful scale.
Kim Brown: Proponents of it see it differently. Here’s George [Perytis 00:02:30] , a researcher for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a California based science research center funded by the federal government testifying at a February third hearing.
George P.: The third approach involves using machines that scrub CO2 from the air in a process called direct air capture. This can be applied anywhere that we have geothermal heat or natural gas, and we can rely on this strategy to make as large a contribution to our goal as we choose.
Kim Brown: Perytis has reason to support geoengineering. He formerly worked as a staff scientist advocate with the National Resources Defense Council, a group often seen as the establishment by the environmental movement. The groups reliant on insider relationships with liberal political leaders often come into conflict with more grassroots oriented climate justice groups. The push for geoengineering in California is part of a larger national push supported by Big Oil. An example of that are subsidies to bolster direct air capture already doled out by Congress.
Muffet: On carbon dioxide removal including direct air capture, the federal government adopted massive subsidies for these technologies in legislation that was adopted about a year and a half ago called 45Q. And so we are already seeing the government supporting the sinking of massive money into the idea that we can suck carbon out of the atmosphere.
Kim Brown: 45Q is a tax provision subsidizing power plants and other industrial actors to vacuum in and store CO2 instead of emitting it into the atmosphere. The FUTURE Act, a bill included as a provision within the budget bill in 2018 signed into law by President Donald Trump extended the tax credit. According to the lobbying disclosure forms reviewed by The Real News, the FUTURE Act received a lobbying support from oil giant ExxonMobil and coal giant Peabody Energy. Companies such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Occidental Petroleum have also poured money into scaling up direct air capture.
Speaker 5: It reflects the way technology is further permeating the environmental movement right now and the perpetuation of these types of futuristic solutions as opposed to addressing the root causes of the climate crisis, which is our dependence on fossil fuels and extractive industry.
Kim Brown: Ultimately, Muffet views the whole conversation surrounding geoengineering as a distraction.
Muffet: They’re sucking up valuable energy, valuable political will, and valuable resources from real solutions. There are ways for California and other states to act, but direct air capture sends us in precisely the wrong direction at precisely the wrong time.
Kim Brown: For The Real News Network, I’m Kim Brown. This piece was produced by our climate reporter, Steve Horn.
Speaker 5: Thanks a lot for watching. Appreciate it. But do us one more solid favor. Hit the subscribe button below. You know you want to. Stay up on the videos.
Production: Steve Horn
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