mintpressnews--2020-05-18--The Dem’s $3 Trillion Dollar HEROES Act Can Not Brace Us for the Coming Shock

The actual number of people who stand to benefit the most from last month ’ s CARES Act could fit into Dodger Stadium and still have plenty of elbow room to catch any foul balls that might come their way .
Just 43,000 of the richest Americans , those making at least $ 1 million a year , were handed a $ 1.6 million-dollar average “ windfall ” by provisions included in the bipartisan bill by Republicans .
Sections 2303 and 2304 of the Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security ( CARES ) Act temporarily suspends a limitation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other “ nonbusiness income , ” effectively handing hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans worth an estimated $ 80 billion in 2020 alone .
On Friday , Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats introduced a massive $ 3 trillion-dollar stimulus package called “ The Heroes Act , ” named in honor of the monies allotted to front-line emergency workers .
The new bill also seeks to repeal the egregious provisions included in the CARES Act , which allow hedge fund managers , real estate speculators , and business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way back to 2017 .
According to a study commissioned by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse ( D-RI ) from the Joint Committee on Taxation ( JCT ) at the end of April , less than three percent of the tax-relief benefits included in the CARES Act will go to people earning $ 100,000 a year .
“ Relief legislation ought to address the needs of small businesses and workers , ” said Whitehouse , “ not fleece taxpayers to benefit real estate moguls and hedge fund billionaires.
” The Senator introduced a bicameral piece @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D-TX ) to “ unwind ” the tax-liability reductions and is part of the Heroes Act .
Despite the clear political advantages of attacking such a grossly unfair gift to the most well-off at the expense of the most vulnerable , the Democrats ’ HEROES act actually goes further in undermining the help offered to small business owners by excluding the Paycheck Guarantee Act , which would have assured 100 percent coverage of workers ’ wages up to $ 90,000 a year .
A “ mini-rebellion ” reportedly ensued among progressives in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ squelched by Pelosi , leading to the passing of the controversial bill in a 208-199 vote .
In addition , the legislation stamped out efforts to provide monthly recurring relief checks of $ 2,000 per household , opting instead for a one-time payment in a second round of the $ 1,200 stimulus checks .
Other measures aiming to correct some of the shortcomings of the CARES Act were also rebuffed by the Democratic leadership , such as automatic stabilizers to tie federal aid to economic conditions and logistical improvements for the delivery of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act was immediately pounced on by Senate Majority Leader , Mitch McConnell , and other Republicans , who derided it as an election-year ploy with “ no chance at becoming law , ” the implications of their political infighting for millions of Americans could prove very costly in both the short and the long term .
The disconnect between reality on the ground and Capitol Hill is staggering .
As the Trump show continues and each side of the political aisle takes aim at each other , the economy ’ s freefall is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Chicago poll found that 37 percent of unemployed Americans ran out of food in April .
Kate Maehr , executive director of the Greater Chicago Food Depository , has “ never seen anything like it , ” referring to the 60 percent increase in the number of people visiting food pantries that are part of her organization .
Meanwhile , 46 percent of those surveyed confessed to worrying that they , too , might run out of food in the near future if they didn ’ t find employment soon .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ states can restart their economies without creating new surges in COVID-19 infections , ” according to Gabriel Ehrlich of the University of Michigan .
His assessment was echoed by the Federal Reserves ’ Financial Stability Report last Thursday , which noted the “ sharp economic contraction ” resulting from the economic shutdowns would “ create fragilities that last for some time.
” Fed chairman , Jerome Powell , stated last week that “ Additional fiscal support could be costly , but worth it if it helps avoid long-term economic damage , ” calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brakes ” on Pelosi ’ s $ 3 trillion stimulus bill .
Senate Majority Leader , Mitch McConnell said the government should “ take a pause here ” and evaluate what has been done to this point .
Other Republicans voiced their opposition to the Heroes Act calling it “ bloated ” and “ nothing more than the Democratic policy agenda masquerading as a response to the coronavirus crisis , ” according to Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma .
Only one Republican House member voted against his party and for the Democrat-led bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York , who has served 14 terms in the U.S. Congress , told Fox News that he “ had no choice , ” asserting that “ New York will absolutely collapse if that aid money is not there , ” and adding that this wasn ’ t a time for politics .
New York City , in fact , provides a clear picture of what is in store for the country as a whole as the crisis motivates the wealthy to escape to safety and the less fortunate are left behind to deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ article published by the New York Times delves into data provided by Descartes Labs and others , which analyzed smart-phone data to determine where New York residents had been over a two-week period in February when the pandemic began to unfold in the United States .
Notwithstanding the broader implications of smart-phone data surveillance , the results of the analysis determined that the city ’ s population declined by almost 5 percent as people with the means to do so fled to second homes out in the country or elsewhere .
Peter Bearman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highlighted the contrast in inequality this phenomenon makes clear , stating that “ everybody is really aware of the uneven distribution of risk , and the unfairness of having to work to provide services to people who are wealthy enough to avoid providing services for themselves ” .
As the crisis deepens and those who don ’ t have the luxury of riding it out in the Hamptons or some other place are forced to stay behind in an economy in free fall , where unemployment is projected to reach unprecedented levels of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has become endemic in the American political system – run by the same class of people running for the hills with their million-dollar tax breaks – will inevitably give way to a mass insurrection by those most affected by their contempt , that not even a pandemic can hold back .
Feature photo | House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif. , speaks about the so-called Heroes Act , May 12 , 2020 on Capitol Hill in Washington .
Saul Loeb | Pool via AP

The actual number of people who stand to benefit the most from last month’s CARES Act could fit into Dodger Stadium and still have plenty of elbow room to catch any foul balls that might come their way. Just 43,000 of the richest Americans, those making at least $1 million a year, were handed a $1.6 million-dollar average “windfall” by provisions included in the bipartisan bill by Republicans.
Sections 2303 and 2304 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act temporarily suspends a limitation on tax deductions for capital gains and other “nonbusiness income,” effectively handing hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans worth an estimated $80 billion in 2020 alone.
On Friday, Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats introduced a massive $3 trillion-dollar stimulus package called “The Heroes Act,” named in honor of the monies allotted to front-line emergency workers. The new bill also seeks to repeal the egregious provisions included in the CARES Act, which allow hedge fund managers, real estate speculators, and business owners to apply them retroactively all the way back to 2017.
According to a study commissioned by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) from the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) at the end of April, less than three percent of the tax-relief benefits included in the CARES Act will go to people earning $100,000 a year. “Relief legislation ought to address the needs of small businesses and workers,” said Whitehouse, “not fleece taxpayers to benefit real estate moguls and hedge fund billionaires.” The Senator introduced a bicameral piece of legislation with Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) to “unwind” the tax-liability reductions and is part of the Heroes Act.
Austerity politics
Despite the clear political advantages of attacking such a grossly unfair gift to the most well-off at the expense of the most vulnerable, the Democrats’ HEROES act actually goes further in undermining the help offered to small business owners by excluding the Paycheck Guarantee Act, which would have assured 100 percent coverage of workers’ wages up to $90,000 a year.
A “mini-rebellion” reportedly ensued among progressives in the House over its exclusion but was eventually squelched by Pelosi, leading to the passing of the controversial bill in a 208-199 vote. In addition, the legislation stamped out efforts to provide monthly recurring relief checks of $2,000 per household, opting instead for a one-time payment in a second round of the $1,200 stimulus checks. Other measures aiming to correct some of the shortcomings of the CARES Act were also rebuffed by the Democratic leadership, such as automatic stabilizers to tie federal aid to economic conditions and logistical improvements for the delivery of funds to individuals.
While the Heroes Act was immediately pounced on by Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell, and other Republicans, who derided it as an election-year ploy with “no chance at becoming law,” the implications of their political infighting for millions of Americans could prove very costly in both the short and the long term.
Raiding the castle
The disconnect between reality on the ground and Capitol Hill is staggering. As the Trump show continues and each side of the political aisle takes aim at each other, the economy’s freefall is quickly reaching catastrophic levels.
A recent University of Chicago poll found that 37 percent of unemployed Americans ran out of food in April. Kate Maehr, executive director of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, has “never seen anything like it,” referring to the 60 percent increase in the number of people visiting food pantries that are part of her organization.
Meanwhile, 46 percent of those surveyed confessed to worrying that they, too, might run out of food in the near future if they didn’t find employment soon. Their prospects depend heavily “on whether states can restart their economies without creating new surges in COVID-19 infections,” according to Gabriel Ehrlich of the University of Michigan. His assessment was echoed by the Federal Reserves’ Financial Stability Report last Thursday, which noted the “sharp economic contraction” resulting from the economic shutdowns would “create fragilities that last for some time.”
Fed chairman, Jerome Powell, stated last week that “Additional fiscal support could be costly, but worth it if it helps avoid long-term economic damage,” calling out the GOP for “pumping the brakes” on Pelosi’s $3 trillion stimulus bill. Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell said the government should “take a pause here” and evaluate what has been done to this point.
Other Republicans voiced their opposition to the Heroes Act calling it “bloated” and “nothing more than the Democratic policy agenda masquerading as a response to the coronavirus crisis,” according to Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma. Only one Republican House member voted against his party and for the Democrat-led bill. Soon-to-retire Rep. Peter King of New York, who has served 14 terms in the U.S. Congress, told Fox News that he “had no choice,” asserting that “New York will absolutely collapse if that aid money is not there,” and adding that this wasn’t a time for politics.
Canary in the coal mine
New York City, in fact, provides a clear picture of what is in store for the country as a whole as the crisis motivates the wealthy to escape to safety and the less fortunate are left behind to deal with increasingly deteriorating circumstances. A recent article published by the New York Times delves into data provided by Descartes Labs and others, which analyzed smart-phone data to determine where New York residents had been over a two-week period in February when the pandemic began to unfold in the United States.
Notwithstanding the broader implications of smart-phone data surveillance, the results of the analysis determined that the city’s population declined by almost 5 percent as people with the means to do so fled to second homes out in the country or elsewhere. Peter Bearman, a sociologist from Columbia University, highlighted the contrast in inequality this phenomenon makes clear, stating that “everybody is really aware of the uneven distribution of risk, and the unfairness of having to work to provide services to people who are wealthy enough to avoid providing services for themselves”.
As the crisis deepens and those who don’t have the luxury of riding it out in the Hamptons or some other place are forced to stay behind in an economy in free fall, where unemployment is projected to reach unprecedented levels of 40-45 percent, the pussyfooting and pettiness that has become endemic in the American political system – run by the same class of people running for the hills with their million-dollar tax breaks – will inevitably give way to a mass insurrection by those most affected by their contempt, that not even a pandemic can hold back.
Feature photo | House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks about the so-called Heroes Act, May 12, 2020 on Capitol Hill in Washington. Saul Loeb | Pool via AP
Raul Diego is a MintPress News Staff Writer, independent photojournalist, researcher, writer and documentary filmmaker.


mintpressnews--2020-05-18--Latin America Braces for Major Spike in COVID-19 Cases

Latin America appears to be on a precipice , about to lose what little control over the COVID-19 pandemic it had .
Across the region , daily positive tests are rising rapidly .
Chilean figures show infections have doubled since last week .
Around 4,000 Peruvians have tested positive each day in the past week .
Meanwhile , Argentina , where an official 12 percent mortality rate suggests authorities are testing nowhere near enough people , suffered its two worst days on Friday and Saturday .
As figures are often revised upwards the day after as more information from morgues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s totals are not yet reliable .
Meanwhile in Colombia , six of the worst seven days for infections have been in the last week .
A factory in the country has designed a new dual purpose coffin/hospital bed made out of cardboard , which allows medical staff to dispose of deceased patients without having to touch them , an invention which might reassure doctors but is unlikely to put the sick at ease .
Mexico ’ s worst four days for infections have all occurred since Wednesday and the country ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has downplayed the threat of the virus for weeks , holding public events and refusing to observe social distancing restrictions other countries have put in place .
Brazil is home to more than half of South America ’ s COVID-19 cases , with daily cases doubling since last week .
Its erratic authoritarian president Jair Bolsonaro dismissed the virus as merely a “ little flu ” and refused to self-isolate after likely contracting it himself .
He has faced resignations from key members of his cabinet over his response , with the main @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impeachment .
Arguably the worst hit , however , is Ecuador , the government has essentially given up on collecting data .
On one day , authorities reported 7,595 new cases alone ; the next two days , zero .
As MintPress reported last month , the coastal city of Guayaquil is likely the worst hit area in the world by COVID-19 , with thousands of bodies piling up , left on the streets .
“ The situation in Ecuador is very fucked up .
I don ’ t even have the means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what ’ s happening .
The new Minister of Health is an incredible idiot .
Coronavirus or not this country is in big trouble with this wildly incompetent government , ” said MintPress contributor Camila Escalante , currently in the country ’ s capital , Quito .
Guayaquil has stabilized somewhat , but Quito is bracing for a wave next .
The first case among a native Amazon tribe was also announced on Sunday .
To compound matters , the right-wing governments of Ecuador , Brazil , and Bolivia all expelled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their citizens .
Certainly , the governments of Latin America have a more challenging problem on their hands than developed Western nations .
Tens of millions of people in the region live in overcrowded slums , often without running water , making sanitation extremely difficult .
In such a situation , self-isolation is next to impossible .
Governments ’ abilities have also been hollowed out after decades of neoliberal “ reforms , ” leaving them weaker than ever .
However , other poor countries have performed admirably .
Vietnam , for example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizen from COVID-19 , the government orchestrating a huge collective response to the pandemic .
Furthermore , there are a few bright spots in the region .
Uruguay and Cuba , for instance , have managed to not only flatten their curves but suppress new infections .
Venezuela , meanwhile , has tested more than any other Latin American nation per capita and has not lost anybody in a month .
In March MintPress spoke to Olive Albanese , a fifth year student from Milwaukee studying medicine in Cuba .
She had faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in dealing with COVID-19 : “ I am very confident of Cuba ’ s public health and epidemiology system , it is all very organized : nationally , provincially , regionally and locally , ” she said .
It appears her confidence was well placed .
Nevertheless , it seems that authorities across the region were far too slow to react to the deadly pandemic .
As a result , citizens are bracing for the coming storm – one that will not quickly pass .
Feature photo | A man wearing face shield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walks in Quito , Ecuador , May 11 , 2020 .
Dolores Ochoa | AP Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News .
After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books : Bad News From Venezuela : Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age : Still Manufacturing Consent .
He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , The Guardian , Salon , The Grayzone , Jacobin Magazine , Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary .

Latin America appears to be on a precipice, about to lose what little control over the COVID-19 pandemic it had. Across the region, daily positive tests are rising rapidly. Chilean figures show infections have doubled since last week. Around 4,000 Peruvians have tested positive each day in the past week. Meanwhile, Argentina, where an official 12 percent mortality rate suggests authorities are testing nowhere near enough people, suffered its two worst days on Friday and Saturday. As figures are often revised upwards the day after as more information from morgues and hospitals comes in, Sunday’s totals are not yet reliable.
Meanwhile in Colombia, six of the worst seven days for infections have been in the last week. A factory in the country has designed a new dual purpose coffin/hospital bed made out of cardboard, which allows medical staff to dispose of deceased patients without having to touch them, an invention which might reassure doctors but is unlikely to put the sick at ease.
https://twitter.com/Telegraph/status/1260949102617075712
Mexico’s worst four days for infections have all occurred since Wednesday and the country’s leader, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has downplayed the threat of the virus for weeks, holding public events and refusing to observe social distancing restrictions other countries have put in place. Brazil is home to more than half of South America’s COVID-19 cases, with daily cases doubling since last week. Its erratic authoritarian president Jair Bolsonaro dismissed the virus as merely a “little flu” and refused to self-isolate after likely contracting it himself. He has faced resignations from key members of his cabinet over his response, with the main opposition party beginning the process for his impeachment.
Arguably the worst hit, however, is Ecuador, the government has essentially given up on collecting data. On one day, authorities reported 7,595 new cases alone; the next two days, zero. As MintPress reported last month, the coastal city of Guayaquil is likely the worst hit area in the world by COVID-19, with thousands of bodies piling up, left on the streets. “The situation in Ecuador is very fucked up. I don’t even have the means to [explain in] English all of what’s happening. The new Minister of Health is an incredible idiot. Coronavirus or not this country is in big trouble with this wildly incompetent government,” said MintPress contributor Camila Escalante, currently in the country’s capital, Quito. Guayaquil has stabilized somewhat, but Quito is bracing for a wave next. The first case among a native Amazon tribe was also announced on Sunday. To compound matters, the right-wing governments of Ecuador, Brazil, and Bolivia all expelled the network of Cuban doctors providing free healthcare to their citizens.
Few restaurants here and there are now open for takeout only around Quito. Most people I’ve seen out since the State of Exception and quarantine began. There are also quite a lot of people living on the streets and in parks compared to before the Coronavirus measures. pic.twitter.com/dKfMsqmeKS — Camila (@camilapress) May 17, 2020
Certainly, the governments of Latin America have a more challenging problem on their hands than developed Western nations. Tens of millions of people in the region live in overcrowded slums, often without running water, making sanitation extremely difficult. In such a situation, self-isolation is next to impossible. Governments’ abilities have also been hollowed out after decades of neoliberal “reforms,” leaving them weaker than ever. However, other poor countries have performed admirably. Vietnam, for example, has still to lose a single citizen from COVID-19, the government orchestrating a huge collective response to the pandemic. Furthermore, there are a few bright spots in the region. Uruguay and Cuba, for instance, have managed to not only flatten their curves but suppress new infections. Venezuela, meanwhile, has tested more than any other Latin American nation per capita and has not lost anybody in a month.
In March MintPress spoke to Olive Albanese, a fifth year student from Milwaukee studying medicine in Cuba. She had faith in the country’s much-vaunted system in dealing with COVID-19: “I am very confident of Cuba’s public health and epidemiology system, it is all very organized: nationally, provincially, regionally and locally,” she said. It appears her confidence was well placed.
Nevertheless, it seems that authorities across the region were far too slow to react to the deadly pandemic. As a result, citizens are bracing for the coming storm – one that will not quickly pass.
Feature photo | A man wearing face shield amid the spread of the new coronavirus walks in Quito, Ecuador, May 11, 2020. Dolores Ochoa | AP
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.


mintpressnews--2020-05-18--US Military Planners Advise Expanded Online Psychological Warfare against China

As the U.S. military turns its attention from the Middle East to conflict with Russia and China , American war planners are advising that the United States greatly expand its own online “ psychological operations ” against Beijing .
A new report from the Financial Times details how top brass in Washington are strategizing a new Cold War with China , describing it less as World War III and more as “ kicking each other under the table.
” Last week , General Richard Clarke , head of Special Operations Command , said that the “ kill-capture missions ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this new conflict , and Special Operations must move towards cyber influence campaigns instead .
Military analyst David Maxwell , a former Special Ops soldier himself , advocated for a widespread culture war , which would include the Pentagon commissioning what he called “ Taiwanese Tom Clancy ” novels , intended to demonize China and demoralize its citizens , arguing that Washington should “ weaponize ” China ’ s one-child policy by bombarding Chinese people with stories of the wartime deaths of their only children , and therefore , their bloodline .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first Cold War against the Soviet Union , where the CIA sponsored a huge network of artists , writers and thinkers to promote liberal and social-democratic critiques of the U.S.S.R. , unbeknownst to the public , and , sometimes , even the artists themselves .
In the space of only a few months , the Trump administration has gone from praising China ’ s response to the COVID-19 pandemic to blaming them for the outbreak , even suggesting they pay reparations for their alleged negligence .
Just three years ago , Americans had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nine years ago it was strongly favorable ) .
Today , the same polls show that 66 percent of Americans dislike China , with only 26 percent holding a positive opinion of the country .
Over four-in-five people essentially support a full-scale economic war with Beijing , something the president threatened to enact last week .
The corporate press is certainly doing their part as well , constantly framing China as an authoritarian threat to the United States , rather than a neutral force or even a potential ally , leading to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Although analysts have long warned that the United States gets its “ ass handed to it ” in hot war simulations with China or even Russia , it is not clear whether this is a sober assessment or a self-serving attempt to increase military spending .
In 2002 , the U.S. conducted a war game trial invasion of Iraq , where it was catastrophically defeated by Lt. Gen. Paul Van Riper , commanding Iraqi forces , leading to the whole experiment being nixed halfway through .
Yet the subsequent invasion was carried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The recently published Pentagon budget request for 2021 makes clear that the United States is retooling for a potential intercontinental war with China and/or Russia .
It asks for $ 705 billion to “ shift focus from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a greater emphasis on the types of weapons that could be used to confront nuclear giants like Russia and China , ” noting that it requires “ more advanced high-end weapon systems , which provide increased standoff , enhanced lethality and autonomous targeting for employment against near-peer threats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military has recently received the first batch of low-yield nuclear warheads that experts agree blurs the line between conventional and nuclear conflict , making an all out example of the latter far more likely .
There has been no meaningful pushback from the Democrats .
Indeed , Joe Biden ’ s team has suggested that the United States ’ entire industrial policy should revolve around “ competing with China ” and that their “ top priority ” is dealing with the supposed threat Beijing poses .
The former vice-president has also attacked Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to present him as a tool of Beijing , bringing to mind how Clinton portrayed him in 2016 as a Kremlin asset .
( Green Party presidential frontrunner Howie Hawkins has promised to cut the military budget by 75 percent and to unilaterally disarm ) .
Nevertheless , voices raising concern about a new arms race are few and far between .
Veteran deproliferation activist Andrew Feinstein is one exception , saying : “ Our governments spend over 1.75 trillion dollars every year on wars , on weapons , on conflict…If we could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus crisis that we ’ re currently living through , imagine what else we could be doing .
Imagine how we could be fighting the climate crisis , how we could be addressing global poverty , inequality .
Our priority should never be war ; our priorities need to be public health , the environment , and human well being.
” However , if the government is going to launch a new psychological war against China , it is unlikely antiwar voices like Feinstein ’ s will feature much in the mainstream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. national flag and Chinese President Xi Jinping with mask , made by protestors are displayed in central district of Hong Kong ’ s business district , Oct. 14 , 2019 .
Kin Cheung | AP Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News .
After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books : Bad News From Venezuela : Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age : Still Manufacturing Consent .
He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , The Guardian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Magazine , Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary .

As the U.S. military turns its attention from the Middle East to conflict with Russia and China, American war planners are advising that the United States greatly expand its own online “psychological operations” against Beijing.
A new report from the Financial Times details how top brass in Washington are strategizing a new Cold War with China, describing it less as World War III and more as “kicking each other under the table.” Last week, General Richard Clarke, head of Special Operations Command, said that the “kill-capture missions” the military conducted in Afghanistan were inappropriate for this new conflict, and Special Operations must move towards cyber influence campaigns instead.
Military analyst David Maxwell, a former Special Ops soldier himself, advocated for a widespread culture war, which would include the Pentagon commissioning what he called “Taiwanese Tom Clancy” novels, intended to demonize China and demoralize its citizens, arguing that Washington should “weaponize” China’s one-child policy by bombarding Chinese people with stories of the wartime deaths of their only children, and therefore, their bloodline.
A not dissimilar tactic was used during the first Cold War against the Soviet Union, where the CIA sponsored a huge network of artists, writers and thinkers to promote liberal and social-democratic critiques of the U.S.S.R., unbeknownst to the public, and, sometimes, even the artists themselves.
Manufacturing consent
In the space of only a few months, the Trump administration has gone from praising China’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic to blaming them for the outbreak, even suggesting they pay reparations for their alleged negligence. Just three years ago, Americans had a neutral view of China (and nine years ago it was strongly favorable). Today, the same polls show that 66 percent of Americans dislike China, with only 26 percent holding a positive opinion of the country. Over four-in-five people essentially support a full-scale economic war with Beijing, something the president threatened to enact last week.
The corporate press is certainly doing their part as well, constantly framing China as an authoritarian threat to the United States, rather than a neutral force or even a potential ally, leading to a surge in anti-Chinese racist attacks at home.
Retooling for an intercontinental war
Although analysts have long warned that the United States gets its “ass handed to it” in hot war simulations with China or even Russia, it is not clear whether this is a sober assessment or a self-serving attempt to increase military spending. In 2002, the U.S. conducted a war game trial invasion of Iraq, where it was catastrophically defeated by Lt. Gen. Paul Van Riper, commanding Iraqi forces, leading to the whole experiment being nixed halfway through. Yet the subsequent invasion was carried out without massive loss of American lives.
The recently published Pentagon budget request for 2021 makes clear that the United States is retooling for a potential intercontinental war with China and/or Russia. It asks for $705 billion to “shift focus from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a greater emphasis on the types of weapons that could be used to confront nuclear giants like Russia and China,” noting that it requires “more advanced high-end weapon systems, which provide increased standoff, enhanced lethality and autonomous targeting for employment against near-peer threats in a more contested environment.” The military has recently received the first batch of low-yield nuclear warheads that experts agree blurs the line between conventional and nuclear conflict, making an all out example of the latter far more likely.
A bipartisan affair
There has been no meaningful pushback from the Democrats. Indeed, Joe Biden’s team has suggested that the United States’ entire industrial policy should revolve around “competing with China” and that their “top priority” is dealing with the supposed threat Beijing poses. The former vice-president has also attacked Trump from the right on China, trying to present him as a tool of Beijing, bringing to mind how Clinton portrayed him in 2016 as a Kremlin asset. (Green Party presidential frontrunner Howie Hawkins has promised to cut the military budget by 75 percent and to unilaterally disarm).
Nevertheless, voices raising concern about a new arms race are few and far between. Veteran deproliferation activist Andrew Feinstein is one exception, saying:
“Our governments spend over 1.75 trillion dollars every year on wars, on weapons, on conflict…If we could deploy that sort of resource to address the coronavirus crisis that we’re currently living through, imagine what else we could be doing. Imagine how we could be fighting the climate crisis, how we could be addressing global poverty, inequality. Our priority should never be war; our priorities need to be public health, the environment, and human well being.”
However, if the government is going to launch a new psychological war against China, it is unlikely antiwar voices like Feinstein’s will feature much in the mainstream press.
Feature photo | Pictures of U.S. national flag and Chinese President Xi Jinping with mask, made by protestors are displayed in central district of Hong Kong’s business district, Oct. 14, 2019. Kin Cheung | AP
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.


mintpressnews--2020-05-18--What You Need to Know about the ICC Investigation of War Crimes in Occupied Palestine

Fatou Bensouda , Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court ( ICC ) , has , once and for all , settled the doubts on the Court ’ s jurisdiction to investigate war crimes committed in occupied Palestine .
On April 30 , Bensouda released a 60-page document diligently laying down the legal bases for that decision , concluding that “ the Prosecution has carefully considered the observations of the participants , and remains of the view that the Court has jurisdiction over the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
” Bensouda ’ s legal explanation was itself a preemptive decision , dating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ICC Prosecutor must have anticipated an Israeli-orchestrated pushback against the investigation of war crimes committed in the Occupied Territories .
After years of haggling , the ICC had resolved in December 2019 that , “ there is a reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation into the situation in Palestine , pursuant to article 53 ( 1 ) of the Statute.
” Article 53 ( 1 ) merely describes the procedural steps that often lead , or do not lead , to an investigation by the Court .
That Article is satisfied when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court is so convincing that it leaves the ICC with no other option but to move forward with an investigation .
Indeed , Bensouda had already declared late last year that she was , “ satisfied that ( i ) war crimes have been or are being committed in the West Bank , including East Jerusalem , and the Gaza Strip… ( ii ) potential cases arising from the situation would be admissible ; and ( iii ) there are no substantial reasons to believe that an investigation would not serve the interests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its main Western ally , the United States , fumed .
Israel has never been held accountable by the international community for war crimes and other human rights violations in Palestine .
The ICC ’ s decision , especially if the investigation moves forward , would be a historic precedent .
But , what are Israel and the US to do when neither are state parties in the ICC , thus having no actual influence on the internal proceedings of the court ?
A solution had to be devised .
In a historic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer to numerous war crimes committed by the Nazi regime during World War II , stepped in to serve as the main defender of Israel at the ICC and to shield accused Israeli war criminals from legal and moral accountability .
On February 14 , Germany filed a petition with the ICC requesting an “ amicus curiae ” , meaning “ friend of the court ” , status .
By achieving that special status , Germany was able to submit objections , arguing against the ICC ’ s earlier decision on behalf of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then argued that the ICC had no legal authority to discuss Israeli war crimes in the occupied territories .
These efforts , however , eventually amounted to nil .
The ball is now in the court of the ICC pre-trial chamber .
The pre-trial chamber consists of judges that authorize the opening of investigations .
Customarily once the Prosecutor decides to consider an investigation , she has to inform the Pre-Trial Chamber of her decision .
According to the Rome Statute , Article 56 ( b ) , “ … the Pre-Trial Chamber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , take such measures as may be necessary to ensure the efficiency and integrity of the proceedings and , in particular , to protect the rights of the defence.
” The fact that the Palestinian case has been advanced to such a point can and should be considered a victory for the Palestinian victims of the Israeli occupation .
However , if the ICC investigation moves forward according to the original mandate requested by Bensouda , there will remain major legal and moral lapses that frustrate those who are advocating justice on behalf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal representatives of the ‘ Palestinian Victims Residents of the Gaza Strip ’ expressed their concern on behalf of the victims regarding “ the ostensibly narrow scope of the investigation into the crimes suffered by the Palestinian victims of this situation.
” The ‘ narrow scope of the investigation ’ has thus far excluded such serious crimes as crimes against humanity .
According to the Gaza legal team , the killing of hundreds and wounding of thousands of unarmed protesters participating in the ‘ Great March of Return ’ is a crime against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The ICC ’ s jurisdiction , of course , goes beyond Bensouda ’ s decision to investigate ‘ war crimes ’ only .
Article 5 of the Rome Statute – the founding document of the ICC – extends the Court ’ s jurisdiction to investigate the following “ serious crimes ” : It should come as no surprise that Israel is qualified to be investigated on all four points and that the nature of Israeli crimes against Palestinians often tends to , constitute a mixture of two or more of these points simultaneously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palestinian Human Rights ( 2008-2014 ) , Prof. Richard Falk , wrote in 2009 , soon after a deadly Israeli war on the besieged Gaza Strip , that , “ Israel initiated the Gaza campaign without adequate legal foundation or just cause , and was responsible for causing the overwhelming proportion of devastation and the entirety of civilian suffering .
Israeli reliance on a military approach to defeat or punish Gaza was intrinsically ‘ criminal ’ , and as such demonstrative of both violations of the law of war and the commission of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal argument beyond war crimes and crimes against humanity into a third category .
“ There is another element that strengthens the allegation of aggression .
The population of Gaza had been subjected to a punitive blockade for 18 months when Israel launched its attacks.
” What about the crime of apartheid ?
Does it fit anywhere within the ICC ’ s previous definitions and jurisdiction ?
The International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid of November 1973 defines apartheid as , “ a crime against humanity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and practices of apartheid and similar policies and practices of racial segregation and discrimination , as defined in article II of the Convention , are crimes violating the principles of international law , in particular the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations , and constituting a serious threat to international peace and security.
” The Convention came into force in July 1976 , when twenty countries ratified it .
Mostly western powers , including the United States and Israel , opposed it .
Particularly important about the definition of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is that the crime of apartheid was liberated from the limited South African context and made applicable to racially discriminatory policies in any state .
In June 1977 , Addition Protocol 1 to the Geneva Conventions designated apartheid as , “ a grave breach of the Protocol and a war crime.
” It follows that there are legal bases to argue that the crime of apartheid can be considered both a crime against humanity and a war crime .
Former UN Special Rapporteur on Palestinian Human Rights ( 2000-2006 ) , Prof. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palestine joined the ICC in 2015 , “ For seven years , I visited the Palestinian territory twice a year .
I also conducted a fact-finding mission after the Operation Cast Lead in Gaza in 2008 , 2009 .
So , I am familiar with the situation , and I am familiar with the apartheid situation .
I was a human rights lawyer in apartheid South Africa .
And I , like virtually every South African who visits the occupied territory , has a terrible sense of déjà vu .
We ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is infinitely worse .
And what has happened in the West Bank is that the creation of a settlement enterprise has resulted in a situation that closely resembles that of apartheid , in which the settlers are the equivalent of white South Africans .
They enjoy superior rights over Palestinians , and they do oppress Palestinians .
So , one does have a system of apartheid in the occupied Palestinian territory .
And I might mention that apartheid is also a crime within the competence of the International Criminal Court.
” Considering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has violated throughout the years – the perpetual occupation of Palestine , the siege on Gaza , and the elaborate system of apartheid imposed on Palestinians through a large conglomerate of racist laws ( culminating in the so-called Nation-State Law of July 2018 ) – finding Israel guilty of war crimes , among others “ serious crimes ” , should be a straightforward matter .
But the ICC is not entirely a legal platform .
It is also a political institution that is subject to the interests and whims of its members .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Israel , to dissuade the ICC from investigating Tel Aviv ’ s war crimes is a case in point .
Time will tell how far the ICC is willing to go with its unprecedented and historic attempt aimed at , finally , investigating the numerous crimes that have been committed in Palestine unhindered , with no recourse and no accountability .
For the Palestinian people , the long-denied justice can not arrive soon enough .
Feature photo | Mourners carry the body of a Palestinian , 14-month-old , Seba Abu Arar , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May .
5 , 2019 .
Gaza ’ s Health Ministry said a Palestinian infant was killed when Israeli aircraft hit near their house .
Abu Arar , 14-month-old , died immediately and her pregnant relative died later , the ministry added .
Khalil Hamra | AP Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle .
He is the author of five books .
His latest is “ These Chains Will Be Broken : Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons ” ( Clarity Press , Atlanta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs ( CIGA ) , Istanbul Zaim University ( IZU ) .
His website is www.ramzybaroud.net Romana Rubeo is an Italian writer and the managing editor of The Palestine Chronicle .
Her articles appeared in many online newspapers and academic journals .
She holds a Master ’ s Degree in Foreign Languages and Literature , and specializes in audio-visual and journalism translation .

Fatou Bensouda, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has, once and for all, settled the doubts on the Court’s jurisdiction to investigate war crimes committed in occupied Palestine.
On April 30, Bensouda released a 60-page document diligently laying down the legal bases for that decision, concluding that “the Prosecution has carefully considered the observations of the participants, and remains of the view that the Court has jurisdiction over the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
Bensouda’s legal explanation was itself a preemptive decision, dating back to December 2019, as the ICC Prosecutor must have anticipated an Israeli-orchestrated pushback against the investigation of war crimes committed in the Occupied Territories.
After years of haggling, the ICC had resolved in December 2019 that, “there is a reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation into the situation in Palestine, pursuant to article 53(1) of the Statute.”
Article 53(1) merely describes the procedural steps that often lead, or do not lead, to an investigation by the Court.
That Article is satisfied when the amount of evidence provided to the Court is so convincing that it leaves the ICC with no other option but to move forward with an investigation.
Indeed, Bensouda had already declared late last year that she was,
“satisfied that (i) war crimes have been or are being committed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip… (ii) potential cases arising from the situation would be admissible; and (iii) there are no substantial reasons to believe that an investigation would not serve the interests of justice.”
Naturally, Israel and its main Western ally, the United States, fumed. Israel has never been held accountable by the international community for war crimes and other human rights violations in Palestine. The ICC’s decision, especially if the investigation moves forward, would be a historic precedent.
But, what are Israel and the US to do when neither are state parties in the ICC, thus having no actual influence on the internal proceedings of the court? A solution had to be devised.
In a historic irony, Germany, which had to answer to numerous war crimes committed by the Nazi regime during World War II, stepped in to serve as the main defender of Israel at the ICC and to shield accused Israeli war criminals from legal and moral accountability.
On February 14, Germany filed a petition with the ICC requesting an “amicus curiae”, meaning “friend of the court”, status. By achieving that special status, Germany was able to submit objections, arguing against the ICC’s earlier decision on behalf of Israel.
Germany, among others, then argued that the ICC had no legal authority to discuss Israeli war crimes in the occupied territories. These efforts, however, eventually amounted to nil.
The ball is now in the court of the ICC pre-trial chamber.
The pre-trial chamber consists of judges that authorize the opening of investigations. Customarily once the Prosecutor decides to consider an investigation, she has to inform the Pre-Trial Chamber of her decision.
According to the Rome Statute, Article 56(b), “… the Pre-Trial Chamber may, upon request of the Prosecutor, take such measures as may be necessary to ensure the efficiency and integrity of the proceedings and, in particular, to protect the rights of the defence.”
The fact that the Palestinian case has been advanced to such a point can and should be considered a victory for the Palestinian victims of the Israeli occupation. However, if the ICC investigation moves forward according to the original mandate requested by Bensouda, there will remain major legal and moral lapses that frustrate those who are advocating justice on behalf of Palestine.
For example, the legal representatives of the ‘Palestinian Victims Residents of the Gaza Strip’ expressed their concern on behalf of the victims regarding “the ostensibly narrow scope of the investigation into the crimes suffered by the Palestinian victims of this situation.”
The ‘narrow scope of the investigation’ has thus far excluded such serious crimes as crimes against humanity. According to the Gaza legal team, the killing of hundreds and wounding of thousands of unarmed protesters participating in the ‘Great March of Return’ is a crime against humanity that must also be investigated.
The ICC’s jurisdiction, of course, goes beyond Bensouda’s decision to investigate ‘war crimes’ only.
Article 5 of the Rome Statute – the founding document of the ICC – extends the Court’s jurisdiction to investigate the following “serious crimes”:
(a) The crime of genocide
(b) Crimes against humanity
(c) War crimes
(d) The crime of aggression
It should come as no surprise that Israel is qualified to be investigated on all four points and that the nature of Israeli crimes against Palestinians often tends to, constitute a mixture of two or more of these points simultaneously.
Former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Palestinian Human Rights (2008-2014), Prof. Richard Falk, wrote in 2009, soon after a deadly Israeli war on the besieged Gaza Strip, that,
“Israel initiated the Gaza campaign without adequate legal foundation or just cause, and was responsible for causing the overwhelming proportion of devastation and the entirety of civilian suffering. Israeli reliance on a military approach to defeat or punish Gaza was intrinsically ‘criminal’, and as such demonstrative of both violations of the law of war and the commission of crimes against humanity.”
Falk extended his legal argument beyond war crimes and crimes against humanity into a third category. “There is another element that strengthens the allegation of aggression. The population of Gaza had been subjected to a punitive blockade for 18 months when Israel launched its attacks.”
What about the crime of apartheid? Does it fit anywhere within the ICC’s previous definitions and jurisdiction?
The International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid of November 1973 defines apartheid as,
“a crime against humanity and that inhuman acts resulting from the policies and practices of apartheid and similar policies and practices of racial segregation and discrimination, as defined in article II of the Convention, are crimes violating the principles of international law, in particular the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and constituting a serious threat to international peace and security.”
The Convention came into force in July 1976, when twenty countries ratified it. Mostly western powers, including the United States and Israel, opposed it.
Particularly important about the definition of apartheid, as stated by the Convention, is that the crime of apartheid was liberated from the limited South African context and made applicable to racially discriminatory policies in any state.
In June 1977, Addition Protocol 1 to the Geneva Conventions designated apartheid as, “a grave breach of the Protocol and a war crime.”
It follows that there are legal bases to argue that the crime of apartheid can be considered both a crime against humanity and a war crime.
Former UN Special Rapporteur on Palestinian Human Rights (2000-2006), Prof. John Dugard, said this soon after Palestine joined the ICC in 2015,
“For seven years, I visited the Palestinian territory twice a year. I also conducted a fact-finding mission after the Operation Cast Lead in Gaza in 2008, 2009. So, I am familiar with the situation, and I am familiar with the apartheid situation. I was a human rights lawyer in apartheid South Africa. And I, like virtually every South African who visits the occupied territory, has a terrible sense of déjà vu. We’ve seen it all before, except that it is infinitely worse. And what has happened in the West Bank is that the creation of a settlement enterprise has resulted in a situation that closely resembles that of apartheid, in which the settlers are the equivalent of white South Africans. They enjoy superior rights over Palestinians, and they do oppress Palestinians. So, one does have a system of apartheid in the occupied Palestinian territory. And I might mention that apartheid is also a crime within the competence of the International Criminal Court.”
Considering the number of UN resolutions that Israel has violated throughout the years – the perpetual occupation of Palestine, the siege on Gaza, and the elaborate system of apartheid imposed on Palestinians through a large conglomerate of racist laws (culminating in the so-called Nation-State Law of July 2018) – finding Israel guilty of war crimes, among others “serious crimes”, should be a straightforward matter.
But the ICC is not entirely a legal platform. It is also a political institution that is subject to the interests and whims of its members. Germany’s intervention, on behalf of Israel, to dissuade the ICC from investigating Tel Aviv’s war crimes is a case in point.
Time will tell how far the ICC is willing to go with its unprecedented and historic attempt aimed at, finally, investigating the numerous crimes that have been committed in Palestine unhindered, with no recourse and no accountability.
For the Palestinian people, the long-denied justice cannot arrive soon enough.
Feature photo | Mourners carry the body of a Palestinian, 14-month-old, Seba Abu Arar, during her funeral in Gaza City, May. 5, 2019. Gaza’s Health Ministry said a Palestinian infant was killed when Israeli aircraft hit near their house. Abu Arar, 14-month-old, died immediately and her pregnant relative died later, the ministry added. Khalil Hamra | AP
Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of five books. His latest is “These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons” (Clarity Press, Atlanta). Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA), Istanbul Zaim University (IZU). His website is www.ramzybaroud.net
Romana Rubeo is an Italian writer and the managing editor of The Palestine Chronicle. Her articles appeared in many online newspapers and academic journals. She holds a Master’s Degree in Foreign Languages and Literature, and specializes in audio-visual and journalism translation.


mintpressnews--2020-05-15--Study: Coronavirus Has Been a Massive Boon for America’s Billionaires

America ’ s billionaires have seen their wealth increase by 12.5 percent during the COVID-19 lockdown period .
The Institute for Policy Studies ( IPS ) , a Washington , D.C.-based think tank , released a study Thursday showing that , in the eight weeks between March 18 and May 14 , the country ’ s super wealthy have added a further $ 368.8 billion to their already enormous fortunes .
Among the more famous big winners during the pandemic include Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg , who adds $ 21 billion to his net worth ( a 38 percent increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg is up $ 10 billion as well , meaning he has recouped ten times as much as he lost in his big money political campaign that went nowhere .
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has increased his fortune by around $ 6 billion as well .
All this comes at the same time that the economy has undeniably imploded for working people .
A record 36 million Americans have filed for unemployment insurance , with millions more losing their employer-based healthcare plans , and around a third of the country not paying its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and other businesses remain shuttered .
The Trump administration has promised to provide $ 1,200 to every citizen , but it will be months before everyone receives their check .
As a result , there has been an explosion in the use of food banks , as desperate citizens line up for hours in the hopes of receiving a box of food .
The study , based on figures from Forbes ’ annual global billionaire survey , found that Amazon CEO and world ’ s richest individual Jeff Bezos was the biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding a massive $ 30 billion to his wealth .
If he continues at the current rate , Bezos will become the world ’ s first trillionaire by 2026 , with other oligarchs not far behind .
This is possible primarily because of the hyper-exploitation of his workforce ; Amazon warehouse employees are infamously forced into wearing adult diapers or peeing in bottles , unable to take bathroom breaks .
The company ’ s own data shows that one-third of its Arizona employees depend upon food stamps to make ends meet .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s nineteenth largest employer but fifth most common for those receiving SNAP benefits .
Bezos ’ workers have been organizing amid a pandemic that puts their lives at risk , but instead of providing them with living wages and proper protective equipment , he has given his employees at Whole Foods supermarkets with new uniforms proclaiming that they are heroes .
“ When billionaires like Jeff Bezos see their wealth surge by tens of billions , as they command their underpaid , vulnerable and unprotected workers into the viral line of fire , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Chuck Collins , Director of the Program on Inequality for the IPS told MintPress News , noting that Bezos is on track to amass “ a level of concentrated wealth and power that even the greatest kings and oligarchs could never have imagined.
” Even Tesla CEO Elon Musk has seen his wealth balloon by $ 11.3 billion , despite the fact that his California car plant has been closed for weeks .
How could this be ?
One explanatory reason is the billionaire bonanza that is the Coronavirus Aid Relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , passed last month .
A nonpartisan congressional body found that 82 percent of the tax benefits will go to those earning over $ 1 million per year , with exponentially more for the ultra wealthy elite .
In contrast , less than three percent goes to the great majority of us who earn less than $ 100,000 per year .
Safe in the knowledge that billionaires will not have to bear the brunt of the costs of the pandemic , their wealth has shot up .
“ Rising billionaire wealth during a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is unseemly and immoral , ” Collins added .
Of course , the money is not coming from nowhere .
It is certainly not coming from billionaires ’ hard work .
It is coming from us : from our pockets and those of the global poor , who will be forced to pay for the virus and the huge tax cuts later .
The fact that billionaires ’ wealth is rising so rapidly in a period of economic collapse is a sign that the rich ’ s wealth is barely even connected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do with how much wealth one can take from public coffers .
Feature photo | A protester carries a sign that reads “ Unionize Amazon Tax Bezos , ” while riding a bike during a car-based protest , May 1 , 2020 , at the Amazon Spheres in downtown Seattle .
Ted S. Warren | AP Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News .
After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books : Bad News From Venezuela : Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , The Guardian , Salon , The Grayzone , Jacobin Magazine , Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary .

America’s billionaires have seen their wealth increase by 12.5 percent during the COVID-19 lockdown period. The Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, released a study Thursday showing that, in the eight weeks between March 18 and May 14, the country’s super wealthy have added a further $368.8 billion to their already enormous fortunes.
Among the more famous big winners during the pandemic include Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, who adds $21 billion to his net worth (a 38 percent increase). Failed Democratic presidential contender Michael Bloomberg is up $10 billion as well, meaning he has recouped ten times as much as he lost in his big money political campaign that went nowhere. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has increased his fortune by around $6 billion as well.
All this comes at the same time that the economy has undeniably imploded for working people. A record 36 million Americans have filed for unemployment insurance, with millions more losing their employer-based healthcare plans, and around a third of the country not paying its rent. Schools, factories, offices, and other businesses remain shuttered. The Trump administration has promised to provide $1,200 to every citizen, but it will be months before everyone receives their check. As a result, there has been an explosion in the use of food banks, as desperate citizens line up for hours in the hopes of receiving a box of food.
The study, based on figures from Forbes’ annual global billionaire survey, found that Amazon CEO and world’s richest individual Jeff Bezos was the biggest winner during the period of crisis, adding a massive $30 billion to his wealth. If he continues at the current rate, Bezos will become the world’s first trillionaire by 2026, with other oligarchs not far behind. This is possible primarily because of the hyper-exploitation of his workforce; Amazon warehouse employees are infamously forced into wearing adult diapers or peeing in bottles, unable to take bathroom breaks. The company’s own data shows that one-third of its Arizona employees depend upon food stamps to make ends meet. In Pennsylvania, it is the state’s nineteenth largest employer but fifth most common for those receiving SNAP benefits. Bezos’ workers have been organizing amid a pandemic that puts their lives at risk, but instead of providing them with living wages and proper protective equipment, he has given his employees at Whole Foods supermarkets with new uniforms proclaiming that they are heroes.
“When billionaires like Jeff Bezos see their wealth surge by tens of billions, as they command their underpaid, vulnerable and unprotected workers into the viral line of fire, we should rise up to demand accountability,” Chuck Collins, Director of the Program on Inequality for the IPS told MintPress News, noting that Bezos is on track to amass “a level of concentrated wealth and power that even the greatest kings and oligarchs could never have imagined.”
Even Tesla CEO Elon Musk has seen his wealth balloon by $11.3 billion, despite the fact that his California car plant has been closed for weeks. How could this be? One explanatory reason is the billionaire bonanza that is the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, passed last month. A nonpartisan congressional body found that 82 percent of the tax benefits will go to those earning over $1 million per year, with exponentially more for the ultra wealthy elite. In contrast, less than three percent goes to the great majority of us who earn less than $100,000 per year. Safe in the knowledge that billionaires will not have to bear the brunt of the costs of the pandemic, their wealth has shot up. “Rising billionaire wealth during a pandemic reveals a level of unequal sacrifice that is unseemly and immoral,” Collins added.
Of course, the money is not coming from nowhere. It is certainly not coming from billionaires’ hard work. It is coming from us: from our pockets and those of the global poor, who will be forced to pay for the virus and the huge tax cuts later. The fact that billionaires’ wealth is rising so rapidly in a period of economic collapse is a sign that the rich’s wealth is barely even connected to productive forces anymore and has more to do with how much wealth one can take from public coffers.
Feature photo | A protester carries a sign that reads “Unionize Amazon Tax Bezos,” while riding a bike during a car-based protest, May 1, 2020, at the Amazon Spheres in downtown Seattle. Ted S. Warren | AP
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.


mintpressnews--2020-05-20--Florida Fires COVID-19 Public Data Guru as Private Firm Takes over Atlanta’s Data Dashboard

Rebekah Jones doesn ’ t expect her replacement at Florida ’ s DOH ’ s Division of Disease Control and Health Protection ( DDCHP ) to provide “ the same level of accessibility and transparency ” that she had been committed to providing as geographic information system ( GIS ) manager and architect of the state ’ s lauded COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard .
Jones blames that very commitment to data accessibility and transparency as the motivating factor for her reassignment on May 5 .
In an email to a local CBS news affiliate in Tallahassee , she made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DDCHP had asked her to cook the books and “ manually change data to drum up support for the plan to reopen.
” When she refused , Jones was taken off the job and offered a settlement with the option to resign .
Just fifteen days before news of the Syracuse University graduate ’ s removal broke , Dr. Deborah Birx – a member of the White House ’ s Coronavirus Task Force – went out of her way on national television to praise the system Jones had built , suggesting Americans visit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how Florida had been able to display information about COVID-19 cases and tests at a granular level , “ district by district , county by county ” .
Birx , who has not yet commented on the Jones firing , said yesterday that she was “ encouraged ” by “ clinical , laboratory data and surveillance data ” showing a 50 percent decline in new COVID-19 cases throughout the U.S. over the last month .
Meanwhile , the data dashboard Birx had extolled on “ Face the Nation ” has crashed several times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the underlying data sheets , and , according to Jones , still has not yet been “ fully repaired.
” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ’ spokeswoman , Helen Aguirre Ferré , blamed Jones ’ firing on “ insubordination ” in an email communication issued after a press conference in which DeSantis claimed not to know who Jones was .
Ferré ’ s email accused the former GIS manager of making “ unilateral decisions to modify the Department ’ s COVID-19 dashboard without input or approval from the epidemiological team or her supervisors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jones ’ narrative and adding fuel to the fire of what looks to be the beginning of a political battle at the state level .
Florida ’ s Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried , the lone Democrat holding office at the state level , addressed Governor DeSantis in an open letter decrying Jones ’ firing as undermining “ trust in our government , ” and warning that such actions are “ extraordinarily dangerous to public health.
” The chair of Florida ’ s Democratic Party followed suit by calling for an independent investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and going as far as labelling these actions as potentially “ criminal.
” U.S .
Representatives Lois Frankel and Kathy Castor also joined in condemning DeSantis and called attention to Florida ’ s “ troubling pattern ” of withholding data as it regards overall mortality rates in the state .
Despite the obvious political fodder inherent in the Jones controversy , exclusive insight provided this the author about a parallel event that recently took place across state lines in Georgia might reveal a more disturbing picture as coronavirus containment protocols open the door @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of information in less and less hands .
On May 12 , a week after Rebekah Jones had been reassigned , an emergency meeting was called at Grady Health Systems – a major hospital network serving greater Atlanta to announce to the staff of telemedicine workers that the data dashboard they use to track cases of COVID-19 was being taken over by a new team of cybersecurity experts .
According to confidential sources , the meeting was a highly emotional affair as Grady ’ s in-house IT department was let go after more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s cybersecurity operations .
Outgoing members of Grady ’ s IT department had barely been given the news a day earlier .
The new team from a private cybersecurity firm called IT-CNP was introduced to the staff at the meeting .
Founded in November 2001 , IT-CNP has a longstanding relationship with the Department of Health and Human Services .
In 2017 , it was awarded a Blanket Purchase Agreement ( BPA ) contract by HHS to “ provide Next Generation IT Services ( NGITS ) application hosting , FedRAMP certified cloud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IT-CNP ’ s President , Sal Baldwin , asserted this contract would advance efforts around “ artificial intelligence in service automation and operational efficiencies in direct support of rapidly evolving HHS mission objectives.
” Given the revelations contained in a multi-part investigative series co-authored by this author with Whitney Webb , this development at Grady Health Systems coupled with the recent events surrounding access to COVID-19 case data in Florida could point to a broader national effort to clamp down on reliable and transparent information about coronavirus cases across the country , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move towards reopening .
It is also worth noting that none of the existing coverage of Jones ’ ouster makes it clear who exactly was put in charge of Florida ’ s COVID-19 dashboard .
Limiting access to raw COVID-19 case data has direct repercussions on everything from how states implement reopening protocols to how many resources are allocated through federal government programs to fight the healthcare crisis that is unfolding .
Jay Wolfson , a Senior Associate Dean at the University of South Florida ’ s Morsani College of Medicine , attributes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raw data .
One revolves around the data being deemed “ too flawed ” and the other is that it might “ reveal information that could be disturbing or contrary to stated narratives.
” Even more disturbing was an assessment made by Asal M. Johnson , assistant Professor of Public Health at Stetson University , who pointed out that “ racial and ethnic data has been consistently excluded from Florida ’ s line listing of cases ” , speculating that this was being done to “ undermine evidence-based decision making ” to further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to control the data available to both the public and the scientific community in the throes of a pandemic has far reaching implications for the future of democracy in the United States , and the fact that control over said data is being handed over to private concerns – in the case of IT-CNP – and unknown actors within the Florida DOH should be a serious concern to us all .
We would be remiss not to pay close attention to Rebekah Jones ’ story and heeding the advice she gave in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data listserv : “ They are making a lot of changes , ” warned Jones .
“ I would advise being diligent in your respective uses of this data.
” Feature photo | Health workers conduct COVID-19 tests at a drive through coronavirus testing site at a community center , April 27 , 2020 , in Sanford , Florida .
John Raoux | AP

Rebekah Jones doesn’t expect her replacement at Florida’s DOH’s Division of Disease Control and Health Protection (DDCHP) to provide “the same level of accessibility and transparency” that she had been committed to providing as geographic information system (GIS) manager and architect of the state’s lauded COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard.
Jones blames that very commitment to data accessibility and transparency as the motivating factor for her reassignment on May 5. In an email to a local CBS news affiliate in Tallahassee, she made the explosive allegation that superiors at the DDCHP had asked her to cook the books and “manually change data to drum up support for the plan to reopen.” When she refused, Jones was taken off the job and offered a settlement with the option to resign.
Just fifteen days before news of the Syracuse University graduate’s removal broke, Dr. Deborah Birx – a member of the White House’s Coronavirus Task Force – went out of her way on national television to praise the system Jones had built, suggesting Americans visit the “extraordinary” website to see how Florida had been able to display information about COVID-19 cases and tests at a granular level, “district by district, county by county”.
Birx, who has not yet commented on the Jones firing, said yesterday that she was “encouraged” by “clinical, laboratory data and surveillance data” showing a 50 percent decline in new COVID-19 cases throughout the U.S. over the last month. Meanwhile, the data dashboard Birx had extolled on “Face the Nation” has crashed several times since Jones’ firing, limiting access to the underlying data sheets, and, according to Jones, still has not yet been “fully repaired.”
Political Fodder
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ spokeswoman, Helen Aguirre Ferré, blamed Jones’ firing on “insubordination” in an email communication issued after a press conference in which DeSantis claimed not to know who Jones was. Ferré’s email accused the former GIS manager of making “unilateral decisions to modify the Department’s COVID-19 dashboard without input or approval from the epidemiological team or her supervisors,” effectively turning the tables on Jones’ narrative and adding fuel to the fire of what looks to be the beginning of a political battle at the state level.
Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried, the lone Democrat holding office at the state level, addressed Governor DeSantis in an open letter decrying Jones’ firing as undermining “trust in our government,” and warning that such actions are “extraordinarily dangerous to public health.” The chair of Florida’s Democratic Party followed suit by calling for an independent investigation of Jones’ allegations of data manipulation and going as far as labelling these actions as potentially “criminal.” U.S. Representatives Lois Frankel and Kathy Castor also joined in condemning DeSantis and called attention to Florida’s “troubling pattern” of withholding data as it regards overall mortality rates in the state.
Despite the obvious political fodder inherent in the Jones controversy, exclusive insight provided this the author about a parallel event that recently took place across state lines in Georgia might reveal a more disturbing picture as coronavirus containment protocols open the door for draconian surveillance measures and increasing concentration of information in less and less hands.
Emergency Meeting
On May 12, a week after Rebekah Jones had been reassigned, an emergency meeting was called at Grady Health Systems – a major hospital network serving greater Atlanta to announce to the staff of telemedicine workers that the data dashboard they use to track cases of COVID-19 was being taken over by a new team of cybersecurity experts.
According to confidential sources, the meeting was a highly emotional affair as Grady’s in-house IT department was let go after more than two decades managing the hospital network’s cybersecurity operations. Outgoing members of Grady’s IT department had barely been given the news a day earlier. The new team from a private cybersecurity firm called IT-CNP was introduced to the staff at the meeting.
Founded in November 2001, IT-CNP has a longstanding relationship with the Department of Health and Human Services. In 2017, it was awarded a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) contract by HHS to “provide Next Generation IT Services (NGITS) application hosting, FedRAMP certified cloud, and associated managed services”. IT-CNP’s President, Sal Baldwin, asserted this contract would advance efforts around “artificial intelligence in service automation and operational efficiencies in direct support of rapidly evolving HHS mission objectives.”
Given the revelations contained in a multi-part investigative series co-authored by this author with Whitney Webb, this development at Grady Health Systems coupled with the recent events surrounding access to COVID-19 case data in Florida could point to a broader national effort to clamp down on reliable and transparent information about coronavirus cases across the country, in order to manipulate the message as we move towards reopening. It is also worth noting that none of the existing coverage of Jones’ ouster makes it clear who exactly was put in charge of Florida’s COVID-19 dashboard.
Controlling the Data
Limiting access to raw COVID-19 case data has direct repercussions on everything from how states implement reopening protocols to how many resources are allocated through federal government programs to fight the healthcare crisis that is unfolding. Jay Wolfson, a Senior Associate Dean at the University of South Florida’s Morsani College of Medicine, attributes two possible motives for restricting access to raw data. One revolves around the data being deemed “too flawed” and the other is that it might “reveal information that could be disturbing or contrary to stated narratives.”
Even more disturbing was an assessment made by Asal M. Johnson, assistant Professor of Public Health at Stetson University, who pointed out that “racial and ethnic data has been consistently excluded from Florida’s line listing of cases”, speculating that this was being done to “undermine evidence-based decision making” to further particular economic interests.
Ultimately, the ability to control the data available to both the public and the scientific community in the throes of a pandemic has far reaching implications for the future of democracy in the United States, and the fact that control over said data is being handed over to private concerns – in the case of IT-CNP – and unknown actors within the Florida DOH should be a serious concern to us all.
We would be remiss not to pay close attention to Rebekah Jones’ story and heeding the advice she gave in an email to subscribers of a COVID data listserv: “They are making a lot of changes,” warned Jones. “I would advise being diligent in your respective uses of this data.”
Feature photo | Health workers conduct COVID-19 tests at a drive through coronavirus testing site at a community center, April 27, 2020, in Sanford, Florida. John Raoux | AP
Raul Diego is a MintPress News Staff Writer, independent photojournalist, researcher, writer and documentary filmmaker.


mintpressnews--2020-05-20--Ahmaud Arbery Murdered in Racist Attack, Now Slandered by Racist Media

In a hit piece released yesterday , The New York Post published police footage from the 2017 arrest of recently slain Georgia native Ahmaud Arbery .
The footage shows the young man in handcuffs on suspicion of shoplifting from a local Walmart .
Why this is in any way newsworthy , notable , or fit for publication is unclear .
But the effect has been to smear the latest prominent black victim of police violence .
Other questions abound : if this was police footage , why did the police release it , if not to defame him ?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ television , but the Post itself admits that it did not bother finding out the result of the questioning , publishing it without even ascertaining if he was guilty or not .
On the afternoon of February 23 , 2020 , the 25-year-old Arbery was jogging near his home in Glynn County , Georgia , when he was spotted by an all-white gang led by former police officer Gregory McMichael and his son , Michael .
The heavily armed group chased the young black man for some time in their pickup truck , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times with a shotgun .
A third conspirator , William Bryan , filmed the incident .
Local police responded to the murder immediately , but treated the three extremely leniently , not even describing Bryan and the elder McMichael as suspects , but as a “ witnesses.
” Despite having Bryan ’ s footage of the event , no arrests were made for 74 days , and only then after the video went viral online .
Remarkably , the footage was uploaded by the group themselves in the mistaken belief that it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ triggered an international uproar that forced the police into action .
The Post , a newspaper infamous for its close relationship with the police , has a long history of publishing “ copaganda ” and defaming black victims of white terror .
In 2017 , for instance , a Maryland white supremacist traveled to New York City with the express intention of killing black people .
There , he stabbed 66-year-old black man Timothy Caughman with a two-foot sword multiple times , part of a campaign against interracial dating he was planning .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Post described Caughman as a “ career criminal ” who had “ 11 prior arrests ” and had been “ acting combative before his death.
” In contrast , it called his racist killer as “ well dressed ” and “ dapper.
” The practice of slandering black victims of white supremacist violence while humanizing its perpetrators is not limited to just the Post , however .
When police officer Darren Wilson murdered Michal Brown in Ferguson , Missouri in 2014 , the incident sparked a popular outcry .
However , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One guest on CNN described Brown as a “ thug ” who “ set upon ” a police officer , while The New York Times described Wilson as “ well-mannered ” and “ soft spoken ” while presenting Brown as “ no angel ” and someone who “ dabbled in drugs and alcohol ” while writing “ vulgar ” rap lyrics , subtly suggesting the killer was , in fact , the true victim in all this .
One year later Freddie Gray died of spinal injuries after being brutalized by the Baltimore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to slander the African-American man authorities had subjected to a “ rough ride ” – i.e .
tortured to death for fun , writing him off as the “ son of an illiterate heroin addict.
” After significant pushback , they amended their article .
Over thirty years ago media scholars Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky developed their theory of “ worthy victims , ” where the coverage of the deceased – whether extensive or minimal , positive or negative , exactly corresponds to how much political capital the elite can make from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regimes , for example , will be treated like martyrs .
On the other hand , those killed by the U.S. allies will be ignored or downplayed .
Those victims whose deaths expose the savagery of the American state are reserved a special , fervent hatred in the corporate press for undermining the idea of fundamental American exceptional benevolence .
Commenting on the murder , veteran civil rights campaigner Jesse Jackson said that Arbery ’ s slaying became “ a global embarrassment for whites.
” “ For blacks , however , it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is the normal silence , however , that condemns thousands of African Americans to unjust deaths and millions to shattered lives .
When the camera turns away , the savage injustice that embarrasses us becomes simply business as usual , ” he added .
Feature photo | A man waits in his care for a rally and call for justice against the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery , May 16 , 2020 , in Brunswick , Ga. Stephen B. Morton | AP Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ published two books : Bad News From Venezuela : Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age : Still Manufacturing Consent .
He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , The Guardian , Salon , The Grayzone , Jacobin Magazine , Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary .

In a hit piece released yesterday, The New York Post published police footage from the 2017 arrest of recently slain Georgia native Ahmaud Arbery. The footage shows the young man in handcuffs on suspicion of shoplifting from a local Walmart. Why this is in any way newsworthy, notable, or fit for publication is unclear. But the effect has been to smear the latest prominent black victim of police violence.
Other questions abound: if this was police footage, why did the police release it, if not to defame him? The video shows police questioning Arbery about a television, but the Post itself admits that it did not bother finding out the result of the questioning, publishing it without even ascertaining if he was guilty or not.
A modern day lynching
On the afternoon of February 23, 2020, the 25-year-old Arbery was jogging near his home in Glynn County, Georgia, when he was spotted by an all-white gang led by former police officer Gregory McMichael and his son, Michael. The heavily armed group chased the young black man for some time in their pickup truck, eventually getting out and shooting him three times with a shotgun. A third conspirator, William Bryan, filmed the incident.
Local police responded to the murder immediately, but treated the three extremely leniently, not even describing Bryan and the elder McMichael as suspects, but as a “witnesses.” Despite having Bryan’s footage of the event, no arrests were made for 74 days, and only then after the video went viral online. Remarkably, the footage was uploaded by the group themselves in the mistaken belief that it would fully exonerate them. Instead, it triggered an international uproar that forced the police into action.
Copaganda
The Post, a newspaper infamous for its close relationship with the police, has a long history of publishing “copaganda” and defaming black victims of white terror. In 2017, for instance, a Maryland white supremacist traveled to New York City with the express intention of killing black people. There, he stabbed 66-year-old black man Timothy Caughman with a two-foot sword multiple times, part of a campaign against interracial dating he was planning. In its write-up of the story, the Post described Caughman as a “career criminal” who had “11 prior arrests” and had been “acting combative before his death.” In contrast, it called his racist killer as “well dressed” and “dapper.”
The practice of slandering black victims of white supremacist violence while humanizing its perpetrators is not limited to just the Post, however. When police officer Darren Wilson murdered Michal Brown in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014, the incident sparked a popular outcry. However, the media were quick to choose sides. One guest on CNN described Brown as a “thug” who “set upon” a police officer, while The New York Times described Wilson as “well-mannered” and “soft spoken” while presenting Brown as “no angel” and someone who “dabbled in drugs and alcohol” while writing “vulgar” rap lyrics, subtly suggesting the killer was, in fact, the true victim in all this.
One year later Freddie Gray died of spinal injuries after being brutalized by the Baltimore police. CNN went on the offensive to slander the African-American man authorities had subjected to a “rough ride” – i.e. tortured to death for fun, writing him off as the “son of an illiterate heroin addict.” After significant pushback, they amended their article.
An unworthy victim
Over thirty years ago media scholars Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky developed their theory of “worthy victims,” where the coverage of the deceased – whether extensive or minimal, positive or negative, exactly corresponds to how much political capital the elite can make from their deaths. People killed by enemy regimes, for example, will be treated like martyrs. On the other hand, those killed by the U.S. allies will be ignored or downplayed. Those victims whose deaths expose the savagery of the American state are reserved a special, fervent hatred in the corporate press for undermining the idea of fundamental American exceptional benevolence.
Commenting on the murder, veteran civil rights campaigner Jesse Jackson said that Arbery’s slaying became “a global embarrassment for whites.” “For blacks, however, it is another humiliation, a continuing terror. It is the normal silence, however, that condemns thousands of African Americans to unjust deaths and millions to shattered lives. When the camera turns away, the savage injustice that embarrasses us becomes simply business as usual,” he added.
Feature photo | A man waits in his care for a rally and call for justice against the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery, May 16, 2020, in Brunswick, Ga. Stephen B. Morton | AP
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.