democracynow--2020-08-19--Return to Sender: Amid National Outcry, Trump's Postmaster General Drops Plans to Gut USPS — For Now

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
We ’ re breaking with convention .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Juan González .
After massive public outcry against cuts to the U.S .
Postal Service ahead of the election , Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced Tuesday he will suspend the changes to the USPS until after the election , when a record number of voters are expected to cast ballots by mail .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called DeJoy ’ s move insufficient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already done to the U.S. post office , and has called the House back into session for an urgent vote on the Postal Service scheduled for Saturday .
President Trump admitted last week he ’ s working to undermine the USPS in order to make it harder to vote by mail for the election .
For more , we go to Lisa Graves in Wisconsin .
She ’ s executive director of the policy research group True North , author of the new report for In the Public Interest that looks at “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S .
Postal Service.
” We only have five minutes , Lisa Graves , but can you lay out what ’ s going on and the deep concern that , yes , Louis DeJoy , who has , with his wife , something like $ 75 million to $ 100 million invested in competitors and contractors to the U.S .
Postal Service , that already major changes have taken place ?
They ’ re just revoking the ones that were leading up to the election , though they say they ’ ll introduce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Well , that ’ s right , Amy .
And I think that we ’ re at a true crisis point in terms of our democracy and with our Postal Service .
And that ’ s because we have the most partisan person , in a hundred years at least , to head the Postal Service , in Louis DeJoy , who has deep financial conflicts and deep personal ties to President Trump .
This is also being pushed forward by Mike Duncan , who was a major fundraiser for Mitch McConnell for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right-wing partisan who helped stand up American Crossroads , and also at the instigation , in essence , of Steve Mnuchin , who has tried to push additional pressure on the Postal Service , in essence , in my view , to accomplish what really is Charles Koch ’ s long-term goal of privatizing our Postal Service .
So , we have a deep crisis in our country .
The announcement by the postmaster does not reverse the things that have already happened , that he ’ s already implemented , including the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And so , we need to really hold this Postal Service accountable .
Actually , I think Louis DeJoy needs to be removed .
And we need to reform the Postal Service so we do not have two of the most partisan men ever at the helm of our Postal Service .
That Postal Service belongs to us , even though Charles Koch , as I documented with In the Public Interest and Bold ReThink , that organization has been targeted by Charles Koch for privatization since the 1970s .
So , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress will respond to citizens who are clamoring to protect our Postal Service , make sure we get our ballots on time , make sure we get medicines on time and checks on time , and really reform the Postal Service and get it the money it needs to survive and thrive in this corona crisis .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And , Lisa Graves , in the few minutes we have left , could you talk a little bit more about this hidden effort by Charles Koch to privatize the Postal Service , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most Americans for so long ?
LISA GRAVES : Yes , I was really surprised that he really began staking the men , urging for the Postal Service to be privatized in the 1970s .
And when he became the biggest funder for the Libertarian Party in 1976 , its platform expressly called for the abolition of the Postal Service .
Then , in 1980 , when his brother ran for vice president , the Libertarian Party also called for the abolition of the Postal Service .
Then he helped to stand up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ privatization commission , with his right-hand man on it , which again called for abolition of the Postal Service .
And then they brought on board to Citizens for a Sound Economy , which is now Americans for Prosperity , the leading advocate of privatizing the Postal Service , who then George W. Bush put on the Board of Governors of the Postal Service in 2003 .
And that man , James Miller , helped push through the terrible law in 2006 that saddled the Postal Service with unprecedented debt to pay for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And that ’ s the debt that has really hampered the Postal Service in its ability to have a better financial position , and it also limited the Postal Service from opening banks and offering banking services , as well as increasing the rates of first-class mail beyond a penny a year .
And so , that really throttled the Postal Service .
And that ’ s the long-term cause to basically prepare it for privatization , which is Charles Koch ’ s longtime goal .
AMY GOODMAN : Last minute , also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now the Department of Veterans Affairs has been forced to find other ways to ship mail-order prescriptions to vets all over this country .
And it ’ s not only vets .
So many people rely on the Postal Service just to get medicine .
LISA GRAVES : Yes , it ’ s a true crisis .
And I think that if Louis DeJoy thinks that he can issue a press statement and walk away from the damage he ’ s caused , he ’ s wrong .
The American people are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Postal Service .
Millions of Americans rely on it , in small cities and big towns , for medicines and checks .
And we need it to work properly .
We need it fully funded .
We need it to have coronavirus relief just like other businesses and entities in America .
LISA GRAVES : Charles Koch is one of the richest men in the world .
He ’ s one of the richest men in America .
And he leads Koch Industries , which is one of the largest privately held corporations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long record of using its funds to advance his political causes .
AMY GOODMAN : Were you surprised that the Postal Service turned around to the extent it did yesterday ?
I mean , we ’ re talking about massive outcry .
Even Donald Trump , whose bidding DeJoy was doing , tweeted out , ” SAVE THE POST OFFICE !
” LISA GRAVES : Yeah , they ’ re clearly hearing the heat .
So , the question , as Nancy Pelosi said , is : Will they reverse the things that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ?
Stopping it , we already see the damage done .
The question is , a true reversal to the status quo before Louis DeJoy became the postmaster general this summer .
AMY GOODMAN : Lisa Graves , we want to thank you so much for being with us .
And we have to stop saying November is the election , because people who vote by mail are voting in the next weeks , and that goes on for more than a month .
Lisa Graves , executive director of the policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new report we ’ ll link to , “ The Billionaire Behind Efforts to Kill the U.S .
Postal Service.
” That does it for our broadcast .
Democracy Now !
is produced with Mike Burke , Renée Feltz , Deena Guzder , Libby Rainey , Nermeen Shaikh , María Taracena , Carla Wills , Tami Woronoff , Charina Nadura , Sam Alcoff , Tey-Marie Astudillo , John Hamilton , Robby Karran , Hany Massoud , Adriano Contreras .
Special thanks to Julie Crosby .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Juan @ @ @ @ @

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! We’re breaking with convention. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González.
After massive public outcry against cuts to the U.S. Postal Service ahead of the election, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced Tuesday he will suspend the changes to the USPS until after the election, when a record number of voters are expected to cast ballots by mail.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called DeJoy’s move insufficient, saying it failed to reverse damage already done to the U.S. post office, and has called the House back into session for an urgent vote on the Postal Service scheduled for Saturday.
President Trump admitted last week he’s working to undermine the USPS in order to make it harder to vote by mail for the election.
For more, we go to Lisa Graves in Wisconsin. She’s executive director of the policy research group True North, author of the new report for In the Public Interest that looks at “The Billionaire Behind Efforts to Kill the U.S. Postal Service.”
We only have five minutes, Lisa Graves, but can you lay out what’s going on and the deep concern that, yes, Louis DeJoy, who has, with his wife, something like $75 million to $100 million invested in competitors and contractors to the U.S. Postal Service, that already major changes have taken place? They’re just revoking the ones that were leading up to the election, though they say they’ll introduce them right after.
LISA GRAVES: Well, that’s right, Amy. And I think that we’re at a true crisis point in terms of our democracy and with our Postal Service. And that’s because we have the most partisan person, in a hundred years at least, to head the Postal Service, in Louis DeJoy, who has deep financial conflicts and deep personal ties to President Trump. This is also being pushed forward by Mike Duncan, who was a major fundraiser for Mitch McConnell for the Senate Leadership Fund and is a right-wing partisan who helped stand up American Crossroads, and also at the instigation, in essence, of Steve Mnuchin, who has tried to push additional pressure on the Postal Service, in essence, in my view, to accomplish what really is Charles Koch’s long-term goal of privatizing our Postal Service. So, we have a deep crisis in our country.
The announcement by the postmaster does not reverse the things that have already happened, that he’s already implemented, including the removal of many mail sorting machines. And so, we need to really hold this Postal Service accountable. Actually, I think Louis DeJoy needs to be removed. And we need to reform the Postal Service so we do not have two of the most partisan men ever at the helm of our Postal Service.
That Postal Service belongs to us, even though Charles Koch, as I documented with In the Public Interest and Bold ReThink, that organization has been targeted by Charles Koch for privatization since the 1970s. So, I’m hoping that the members of Congress will respond to citizens who are clamoring to protect our Postal Service, make sure we get our ballots on time, make sure we get medicines on time and checks on time, and really reform the Postal Service and get it the money it needs to survive and thrive in this corona crisis.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Lisa Graves, in the few minutes we have left, could you talk a little bit more about this hidden effort by Charles Koch to privatize the Postal Service, that has gone on almost unknown by most Americans for so long?
LISA GRAVES: Yes, I was really surprised that he really began staking the men, urging for the Postal Service to be privatized in the 1970s. And when he became the biggest funder for the Libertarian Party in 1976, its platform expressly called for the abolition of the Postal Service. Then, in 1980, when his brother ran for vice president, the Libertarian Party also called for the abolition of the Postal Service. Then he helped to stand up, with the Reagan administration, a privatization commission, with his right-hand man on it, which again called for abolition of the Postal Service.
And then they brought on board to Citizens for a Sound Economy, which is now Americans for Prosperity, the leading advocate of privatizing the Postal Service, who then George W. Bush put on the Board of Governors of the Postal Service in 2003. And that man, James Miller, helped push through the terrible law in 2006 that saddled the Postal Service with unprecedented debt to pay for decades of future retiree health benefits. And that’s the debt that has really hampered the Postal Service in its ability to have a better financial position, and it also limited the Postal Service from opening banks and offering banking services, as well as increasing the rates of first-class mail beyond a penny a year. And so, that really throttled the Postal Service. And that’s the long-term cause to basically prepare it for privatization, which is Charles Koch’s longtime goal.
AMY GOODMAN: Last minute, also, already, the effect — right now the Department of Veterans Affairs has been forced to find other ways to ship mail-order prescriptions to vets all over this country. And it’s not only vets. So many people rely on the Postal Service just to get medicine.
LISA GRAVES: Yes, it’s a true crisis. And I think that if Louis DeJoy thinks that he can issue a press statement and walk away from the damage he’s caused, he’s wrong. The American people are not going to tolerate the destruction of our Postal Service. Millions of Americans rely on it, in small cities and big towns, for medicines and checks. And we need it to work properly. We need it fully funded. We need it to have coronavirus relief just like other businesses and entities in America.
AMY GOODMAN: Finally, who Charles Koch is?
LISA GRAVES: Charles Koch is one of the richest men in the world. He’s one of the richest men in America. And he leads Koch Industries, which is one of the largest privately held corporations in the world, which has a long record of using its funds to advance his political causes.
AMY GOODMAN: Were you surprised that the Postal Service turned around to the extent it did yesterday? I mean, we’re talking about massive outcry. Even Donald Trump, whose bidding DeJoy was doing, tweeted out, ”SAVE THE POST OFFICE!”
LISA GRAVES: Yeah, they’re clearly hearing the heat. So, the question, as Nancy Pelosi said, is: Will they reverse the things that have happened, not just stop doing it? Stopping it, we already see the damage done. The question is, a true reversal to the status quo before Louis DeJoy became the postmaster general this summer.
AMY GOODMAN: Lisa Graves, we want to thank you so much for being with us. And we have to stop saying November is the election, because people who vote by mail are voting in the next weeks, and that goes on for more than a month. Lisa Graves, executive director of the policy research group True North, with a new report we’ll link to, “The Billionaire Behind Efforts to Kill the U.S. Postal Service.”
That does it for our broadcast. Democracy Now! is produced with Mike Burke, Renée Feltz, Deena Guzder, Libby Rainey, Nermeen Shaikh, María Taracena, Carla Wills, Tami Woronoff, Charina Nadura, Sam Alcoff, Tey-Marie Astudillo, John Hamilton, Robby Karran, Hany Massoud, Adriano Contreras. Special thanks to Julie Crosby. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González. Stay safe.


democracynow--2020-08-19--Sunrise Movement: Dems Must Address Climate Crisis as DNC Drops Pledge to End Fossil Fuel Subsidies

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
We are breaking with convention .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Juan González .
The Democratic National Committee has dropped a pledge to eliminate tax breaks and subsidies for the fossil fuel industry from its party platform .
The change was announced on Tuesday , saying a DNC spokesperson claimed the amendment was originally included in “ error , ” despite both presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris supporting it on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t announced , but it was reported in the media , among the places , HuffPo .
This comes as a historic heat wave and more than 30 wildfires roil the state of California , and Iowa struggles to recover from a hurricane-strength windstorm last week .
For more on how the DNC is tackling the climate crisis , we go to Boston , where we ’ re joined by Varshini Prakash .
Ahead of the DNC , she was on the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force , and she ’ s the co-founder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She ’ s also co-editor of the forthcoming book , Winning the Green New Deal .
During the Democratic primary campaign , the Sunrise Movement endorsed Bernie Sanders for president , gave Joe Biden ’ s climate plan an F rating .
We welcome you back , Varshini , to Democracy Now !
It ’ s great to have you with us .
Can you assess the Democratic National Convention so far ?
And talk about where the Green New Deal fits in here .
But first , this breaking news yesterday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fossil fuel subsidies , explain what happened .
VARSHINI PRAKASH : Yeah , no , it ’ s certainly disappointing to see .
I mean , the U.S. spends roughly tens of billions of dollars each year essentially propping up the fossil fuel industry so it can continue its dangerous burning of the coal , oil and gas that is threatening our future .
And during this pandemic , you know , Donald Trump has poured a lot of dollars into continuing to support the fossil fuel industry at the expense of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s interesting is also that a provision to eliminate tax breaks and subsidies was included in the 2016 platform , in fact , and so it would just be essentially a continuation of an agreement that was reached about four years ago when Clinton was the nominee .
So I ’ m not sure entirely what happened .
Perhaps there was internal pushback or something .
I think , as you mentioned before , the hopeful side of all of this is that there has been vocal frustration and disappointment from a number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also that the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies is heavily supported by Biden and Harris in their climate plans .
So I think as long as it continues to be a priority for movements , it will be a priority for the Biden administration , should they win in November .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And , Varshini Prakash , what is your sense , after spending several weeks in negotiations between the Sanders and Biden camps in terms of programmatic efforts , that key sections of the Green New Deal will be implemented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden ’ s opening to the progressive movement is more a reflection of his attempt to assure the support of that movement for his reelection , and how much of it do you sense is genuine ?
VARSHINI PRAKASH : No , it ’ s a great question .
I mean , I think we pushed them a lot during the process of the task force .
I had a couple specific goals .
One , we had to improve and increase the ambition that Joe Biden was putting forward on his climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ energy by 2050 is absolutely impermissible for island nations , for young people who are growing up at a true crossroads between chaos and destruction and a livable planet right now .
And so , we pushed , and we won some pretty significant victories .
We were able to move up the timeline on decarbonizing the electricity sector by 15 years , so now the Biden administration is committing to 100 % clean electricity by 2035 .
We have a provision to move to 100 % new zero-emission buildings by 2030 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders as soon as the Biden — within months of the inauguration , to set standards for zero-emission vehicles .
And also , a big priority was ensuring that climate and environmental justice was a central piece of everything related to the climate plan .
So , this isn ’ t particularly — or , specifically named in the DNC plan , but in Joe Biden ’ s recovery effort plan for the pandemic , he does talk about how he ’ s moving from a $ 1.7 trillion green jobs and infrastructure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 trillion plan over four years , which is significant , and has also committed that 40 % of the investment towards green jobs and infrastructure will specifically go towards frontline and environmental justice communities , which is huge .
So , these are some of the things that I think we won .
I feel very excited about those .
I think that the plan is really pro-labor , as well .
I think , you know , none of this is a surety , right ?
Like right as soon as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we saw the fossil fuel industry spokespeople coming out and saying , “ Well , you know , he ’ s just catering to the left on the route to — because it ’ s still the election .
But as soon he wins the nomination — or , as soon as he wins president , the seat , he will have to cater to the fossil fuel industry , and he will have to water down many of the proposals that he ’ s talking about.
” So , I think this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move very quickly from a question of policy to power .
And I think that is why we ’ ve got to keep up the pressure both internally , with people like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and newly elected folks like Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush and Mondaire Jones , etc.
, but also we ’ ve got to maintain a really , really high level of external pressure , as well , and ensure that we are pushing this president , and not just sort of doing what we did with Obama and leaving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upping the ante and increasing the level of pressure on this Democratic president to actually push a lot of these policy provisions that he ’ s agreed to across the finish line .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And could you talk about the reality that we ’ re coming up against an election in the midst of a pandemic , and also amidst continuing extreme weather situations — JUAN GONZÁLEZ : — the storms in Iowa and this amazing record heat over the weekend in Death Valley , 130 degrees ?
VARSHINI PRAKASH : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying this might be one of the hottest years on record , which I feel like I am hearing virtually every year .
We are seeing — we have leaders in Cedar Rapids who are emailing us requesting donations , asking us to match donations to them and other Black Lives Matter organizations that they ’ re working alongside .
There are thousands of people who are still without power one week out , and there ’ s a lot of reports that show that the governor and — the government in Iowa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this disaster , which is something we ’ ve seen in a number of other climate disasters over the last few years , our governments not taking the response seriously enough and acting swiftly .
So I think we ’ re at a real — many of the crises that we are facing in this nation , we are at a fever pitch , right ?
We are at a fever pitch with the climate crisis .
It is emerging into a full-blown emergency .
We have an economic nosedive , with tens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of work .
We are in the midst of an uprising , an ongoing uprising against white supremacy in this nation .
And I think it is time for something like a Green New Deal in this country , that is actually putting forward a vision for how we tackle both the injustices of the climate crisis and economic inequality and racial injustice at the same time , and not see these issues as separate .
AMY GOODMAN : Varshini , tonight Kamala Harris will give her acceptance speech .
She did endorse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Deal and Medicare for All are not being talked about so far at the Democratic convention .
AMY GOODMAN : As a South Asian American yourself , can you talk about the significance of Kamala Harris ?
VARSHINI PRAKASH : Yeah , no , I mean , it ’ s fascinating .
Her mother is actually from the same town that my dad grew up in in India , Besant Nagar , so it ’ s kind of incredible to see someone like that on the national stage .
You know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I think Kamala Harris has been fairly responsive to activist and movement pressure to make climate change a top priority .
She took the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge and has sworn off of oil and gas donations as part of her campaign .
She did , as you mentioned , run on a Green New Deal as part of her platform , and , I think , you know , mentioned it more than almost any other candidate during the presidential debates .
She has worked with Representative Ocasio-Cortez to develop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made around a Green New Deal prioritize frontline communities .
So , I think we ’ ve seen a lot of responsiveness from her .
I think we ’ re also wary and aware of Senator Harris ’ s very complicated history and record as a prosecutor , which you all have discussed many times on this show , and the ways in which a number of those decisions have really harmed communities of color .
So , we ’ ve spoken out about that in the past and will continue to and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work alongside racial justice organizations to hold her , as well as Vice President Biden , accountable .
But I think it will be a huge , huge deal to have the first Black , the first Indian , the first woman vice president of the United States of America , should she and Vice President Biden win in the next few months .
AMY GOODMAN : Varshini Prakash , we want to thank you for being with us , co-founder and executive director of the Sunrise Movement , co-editor of the forthcoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! We are breaking with convention. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González.
The Democratic National Committee has dropped a pledge to eliminate tax breaks and subsidies for the fossil fuel industry from its party platform. The change was announced on Tuesday, saying a DNC spokesperson claimed the amendment was originally included in “error,” despite both presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris supporting it on the campaign trail. It wasn’t announced, but it was reported in the media, among the places, HuffPo. This comes as a historic heat wave and more than 30 wildfires roil the state of California, and Iowa struggles to recover from a hurricane-strength windstorm last week.
For more on how the DNC is tackling the climate crisis, we go to Boston, where we’re joined by Varshini Prakash. Ahead of the DNC, she was on the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force, and she’s the co-founder and executive director of the Sunrise Movement. She’s also co-editor of the forthcoming book, Winning the Green New Deal. During the Democratic primary campaign, the Sunrise Movement endorsed Bernie Sanders for president, gave Joe Biden’s climate plan an F rating.
We welcome you back, Varshini, to Democracy Now! It’s great to have you with us. Can you assess the Democratic National Convention so far? And talk about where the Green New Deal fits in here. But first, this breaking news yesterday that they were dropping this issue of the fossil fuel subsidies, explain what happened.
VARSHINI PRAKASH: Yeah, no, it’s certainly disappointing to see. I mean, the U.S. spends roughly tens of billions of dollars each year essentially propping up the fossil fuel industry so it can continue its dangerous burning of the coal, oil and gas that is threatening our future. And during this pandemic, you know, Donald Trump has poured a lot of dollars into continuing to support the fossil fuel industry at the expense of renewable energy companies.
And what’s interesting is also that a provision to eliminate tax breaks and subsidies was included in the 2016 platform, in fact, and so it would just be essentially a continuation of an agreement that was reached about four years ago when Clinton was the nominee. So I’m not sure entirely what happened. Perhaps there was internal pushback or something.
I think, as you mentioned before, the hopeful side of all of this is that there has been vocal frustration and disappointment from a number of climate and environmental organizations, and also that the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies is heavily supported by Biden and Harris in their climate plans. So I think as long as it continues to be a priority for movements, it will be a priority for the Biden administration, should they win in November.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Varshini Prakash, what is your sense, after spending several weeks in negotiations between the Sanders and Biden camps in terms of programmatic efforts, that key sections of the Green New Deal will be implemented? How much do you fear of Biden’s opening to the progressive movement is more a reflection of his attempt to assure the support of that movement for his reelection, and how much of it do you sense is genuine?
VARSHINI PRAKASH: No, it’s a great question. I mean, I think we pushed them a lot during the process of the task force. I had a couple specific goals. One, we had to improve and increase the ambition that Joe Biden was putting forward on his climate plan. Getting to 100% renewable energy by 2050 is absolutely impermissible for island nations, for young people who are growing up at a true crossroads between chaos and destruction and a livable planet right now. And so, we pushed, and we won some pretty significant victories. We were able to move up the timeline on decarbonizing the electricity sector by 15 years, so now the Biden administration is committing to 100% clean electricity by 2035. We have a provision to move to 100% new zero-emission buildings by 2030 and a commitment to sit down with labor leaders as soon as the Biden — within months of the inauguration, to set standards for zero-emission vehicles.
And also, a big priority was ensuring that climate and environmental justice was a central piece of everything related to the climate plan. So, this isn’t particularly — or, specifically named in the DNC plan, but in Joe Biden’s recovery effort plan for the pandemic, he does talk about how he’s moving from a $1.7 trillion green jobs and infrastructure plan over 10 years to a $2 trillion plan over four years, which is significant, and has also committed that 40% of the investment towards green jobs and infrastructure will specifically go towards frontline and environmental justice communities, which is huge. So, these are some of the things that I think we won. I feel very excited about those. I think that the plan is really pro-labor, as well.
I think, you know, none of this is a surety, right? Like right as soon as the task force recommendations came out, we saw the fossil fuel industry spokespeople coming out and saying, “Well, you know, he’s just catering to the left on the route to — because it’s still the election. But as soon he wins the nomination — or, as soon as he wins president, the seat, he will have to cater to the fossil fuel industry, and he will have to water down many of the proposals that he’s talking about.”
So, I think this is — it’s going to move very quickly from a question of policy to power. And I think that is why we’ve got to keep up the pressure both internally, with people like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and newly elected folks like Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush and Mondaire Jones, etc., but also we’ve got to maintain a really, really high level of external pressure, as well, and ensure that we are pushing this president, and not just sort of doing what we did with Obama and leaving it at the door, but actually upping the ante and increasing the level of pressure on this Democratic president to actually push a lot of these policy provisions that he’s agreed to across the finish line.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And could you talk about the reality that we’re coming up against an election in the midst of a pandemic, and also amidst continuing extreme weather situations —
VARSHINI PRAKASH: Yeah.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: — the storms in Iowa and this amazing record heat over the weekend in Death Valley, 130 degrees?
VARSHINI PRAKASH: Yeah. I mean, scientists are saying this might be one of the hottest years on record, which I feel like I am hearing virtually every year. We are seeing — we have leaders in Cedar Rapids who are emailing us requesting donations, asking us to match donations to them and other Black Lives Matter organizations that they’re working alongside. There are thousands of people who are still without power one week out, and there’s a lot of reports that show that the governor and — the government in Iowa has not acted with enough urgency following this disaster, which is something we’ve seen in a number of other climate disasters over the last few years, our governments not taking the response seriously enough and acting swiftly.
So I think we’re at a real — many of the crises that we are facing in this nation, we are at a fever pitch, right? We are at a fever pitch with the climate crisis. It is emerging into a full-blown emergency. We have an economic nosedive, with tens of millions of people who are out of work. We are in the midst of an uprising, an ongoing uprising against white supremacy in this nation. And I think it is time for something like a Green New Deal in this country, that is actually putting forward a vision for how we tackle both the injustices of the climate crisis and economic inequality and racial injustice at the same time, and not see these issues as separate.
AMY GOODMAN: Varshini, tonight Kamala Harris will give her acceptance speech. She did endorse a Green New Deal, though Green New Deal and Medicare for All are not being talked about so far at the Democratic convention.
VARSHINI PRAKASH: Yeah.
AMY GOODMAN: As a South Asian American yourself, can you talk about the significance of Kamala Harris?
VARSHINI PRAKASH: Yeah, no, I mean, it’s fascinating. Her mother is actually from the same town that my dad grew up in in India, Besant Nagar, so it’s kind of incredible to see someone like that on the national stage.
You know, when it comes to the climate crisis, I think Kamala Harris has been fairly responsive to activist and movement pressure to make climate change a top priority. She took the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge and has sworn off of oil and gas donations as part of her campaign. She did, as you mentioned, run on a Green New Deal as part of her platform, and, I think, you know, mentioned it more than almost any other candidate during the presidential debates. She has worked with Representative Ocasio-Cortez to develop legislation that kind of ensures that investments made around a Green New Deal prioritize frontline communities. So, I think we’ve seen a lot of responsiveness from her.
I think we’re also wary and aware of Senator Harris’s very complicated history and record as a prosecutor, which you all have discussed many times on this show, and the ways in which a number of those decisions have really harmed communities of color. So, we’ve spoken out about that in the past and will continue to and, I think, will continue to work alongside racial justice organizations to hold her, as well as Vice President Biden, accountable. But I think it will be a huge, huge deal to have the first Black, the first Indian, the first woman vice president of the United States of America, should she and Vice President Biden win in the next few months.
AMY GOODMAN: Varshini Prakash, we want to thank you for being with us, co-founder and executive director of the Sunrise Movement, co-editor of the forthcoming book, Winning the Green New Deal.


democracynow--2020-08-19--"We Will Make Biden Do It": Economist Darrick Hamilton on Pushing the Next Admin to the Left

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : Medicare for All and Green New Deal were key parts of the platform of Senator Bernie Sanders , who received nominating speeches from former President of the United Auto Workers Bob King and New York Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Tuesday .
Even though Sanders rescinded his candidacy , he netted enough delegates during the primary to qualify for the convention .
In a roll-call vote , Sanders received 1,151 delegates , while Biden secured the presidential nomination with 3,558 delegates .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Darrick Hamilton , a former Bernie Sanders supporter who took part in the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force .
He ’ s the incoming founding director of the newly created Institute for the Study of Race , Stratification and Political Economy at The New School .
Professor Hamilton , welcome to Democracy Now !
It ’ s great to have you with us .
So , this was very powerful , Ady Barkan speaking electronically , talking about his support for — although he didn ’ t use the words “ Medicare for All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Medicare for All activist .
And Joe Biden has promised he would veto any Medicare for All bill that came to his desk , if he was president .
Can you talk about that difference and whether you think , actually , there ’ s still possible chance for change on — if there was a President Biden ?
DARRICK HAMILTON : Well , I mean , I guess the counterfactual was Donald Trump , and that helped to explain why Ady Barkan gave an unequivocal endorsement for Biden .
I mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ existential threat to the nation .
Beyond his narcissism , he revels in trying to find loopholes to serve his purpose .
So , given that context , I think the strategy is , elect Joe Biden , and on November 3rd come with the full force to ensure that Medicare for All becomes enacted into law during his administration , because healthcare should be a human right .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And , Professor Hamilton , could you talk somewhat about your participation in the efforts of the Bernie and Biden economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposals ?
What were some of your disappointments with that , and what were some of what you believe to be the successes ?
DARRICK HAMILTON : We pushed him a lot with regards to at least expressing the values of a progressive movement .
You know , I want to give a real big shoutout to Representative Karen Bass .
I ’ m happy with the choice of Harris as the VP , but a big nod and hats off to Karen Bass , because I ’ m proud that she is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the DNC party .
That said , you know , the document , if you look at it , there is a lot in there .
There ’ s a recognition , for instance , that the U.S. Department of Agriculture defrauded Black farmers of billions of dollars .
That ’ s pretty big .
So that ’ s progress .
I ’ d say that the biggest constraint and albatross , not only on that document but the DNC party at large , is this notion of PAYGO or austerity , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its budget like a household .
That ’ s a farce .
That ’ s a myth .
We have monetary power that enables us to invest in our most treasured resource , which is its people .
You know , of course , I could say a lot more about that .
And one last thing I ’ ll say about this is , only one side of the political aisle actually pays attention to PAYGO as it relates to putting forth their agenda .
Republicans could care less about PAYGO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about tax cuts that go to the wealthiest of our nation .
But somehow that becomes a conversation stopper when the Democratic Party is thinking about an economic rights platform .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And talking about this issue of austerity versus the unlimited power of government when it comes to monetary policy , we ’ re looking at this reality that the Standard & Poor ’ s 500 , the stock market index , has reached record highs in the midst of this enormous economic crisis of the country .
And some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s basically because companies and banks are receiving essentially free money from the Federal Reserve Bank .
Could you talk about how monetary policy can affect achievement of some of the economic goals of the progressive movement ?
DARRICK HAMILTON : Two points .
One is , I wouldn ’ t say we have unlimited power on monetary policy , but the constraints on monetary policy have not been realized in a very long time .
And that would be inflation or the cost at which the federal government has to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to grow the economy .
But that said , why it ’ s such an emphasis on measures like the stock market , it relates to , I guess , the values of the country in terms of how we — how the government invests in our economic well-being .
There is too much of an emphasis on corporate well-being , with the notion that they will create some dynamism that is supposed to trickle down to all of us , as opposed to investing in people , our most treasured resource @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dynamism that creates an infrastructure that makes us more resilient to a pandemic , to a climate catastrophe or any other economic downturn .
You know , to make this more concrete , supply-side economics , after 45 or 50 years of failure , I love that movements are starting to bubble to push back on that .
We ’ re realizing that that is only related to our productivity gains going to the elite and not being widely dispersed .
In contrast , we have precedent with the New Deal era , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only did we grow the economy , we also grew real wages .
Of course there were some problems with the New Deal .
We didn ’ t do it in a racially inclusive way , in a lot of ways .
AMY GOODMAN : Well , that ’ s a very interesting point .
FDR wasn ’ t necessarily a very progressive president when he came in , but with enormous pressure from the people around him , of course , he is known for the New Deal .
But can you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talk about , for example , the racial wealth gap ?
And do you think that Joe Biden , if he were president , could go through that kind of transformation ?
Bernie Sanders said , you know , we ’ re going to support him now , and then , on November 4th , we ’ re going to fight to ensure , you know , the platform that we originally put forward , that has to do with Green New Deal , that has to do with Medicare for All .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a kind of open door rather than a wall ?
And can you talk about the racial wealth gap and how it needs to be addressed ?
DARRICK HAMILTON : You know , in a lot of ways , irrespective of the president , I love the line that FDR had when he was responding to progressives , as you allude to : “ Make me do it.
” And that ’ s what social movements are for .
So , November 4th , I love that Bernie Sanders said , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We will make Biden do it.
” But , you know , first and foremost , Donald Trump needs to get removed to the office .
That has to be a priority .
And then , after that , I agree , we should make them do it .
And as it relates to the racial wealth gap — you know , I ’ m glad you brought that up — the New Deal and the postwar policies are largely responsible for the racial wealth gap that exists today .
Ira Katznelson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Affirmative Action Was White , describes how policy , by design and implementation , was racist , even though it was universal .
So , for example , if you have Social Security and the Wagner Act excluding domestic and agricultural workers , whom at the time 70 % of Black women working were in those fields — I ’ m sorry , 90 % , not 70 % — and for Black men , it was over half , that was , by design , racist .
And then , when you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies without federal oversight , that is , by implementation , racist .
So , today , what AOC was talking about in her eloquent , beautiful , inspiring one minute , although she took a little longer than one minute , was an economic rights frame , but not just an economic rights frame , an economic rights frame grounded in justice , that is actively antiracist , actively anti-sexist — that ’ s the evolution — and an economic rights platform that ’ s not passive , but , by design @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , regardless of identity , are included .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And speaking of economic rights , you have favored the enactment of a federal jobs guarantee , which many critics say that ’ s pie in the sky .
But you point that there ’ s been historical precedent to that in the Humphrey-Hawkins Act .
If you could talk about that and also about your support of baby bonds , and what exactly that would mean ?
DARRICK HAMILTON : Yeah .
So , the federal job guarantee , I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ itself — the WPA , the CCC .
A lot of our infrastructure in our country today , whether it ’ s art , whether it ’ s big monuments of art , highways , bridges , etc.
, universities — you know , I ’ m from Brooklyn .
Go to Brooklyn College and look at all the buildings that were erected as part of the WPA that are still relevant today .
There ’ s a project called the Living New Deal that goes beyond our physical infrastructure and gives personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s lives were transformed as a result of the New Deal .
And in speaking with Senator Sanders , you know , I was pitching the federal job guarantee , and in our conversation , he had a great response .
He ’ s like , “ Yeah , that ’ s all great about what the New Deal did in the past for America , but I like the framing of reimagining the future that we want and deserve.
” And that ’ s the point .
To me , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imagination of what we can do , but we can invest in the infrastructure that ’ s not only physical , but a care infrastructure , and , as you cited earlier — I don ’ t know if it was you , Juan , or Amy — but a Green New Deal , where we could ensure that our economy is resilient to the climate catastrophes and calamities that are coming up in the future .
In essence , we could offer a guaranteed job to anyone who desires to work towards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and eliminate the threat of unemployment for existing workers .
We know that if you are — you know , I give this example : If you are a waitress putting up with sexual harassment on a daily basis , you have less agency if the employer can threaten you with taking that job away , and then you ’ re not able to feed your children .
That should be eliminated .
We should have better bargaining powers so that workers aren ’ t completely at the whim of their employer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a living wage , with good working conditions .
And we can do this .
We can do this , and there ’ s a need , because we can just look at this pandemic and see that our public health infrastructure wasn ’ t ready .
There ’ s lots of work that can be created , and people on local levels will know better what their community needs .
So , that ’ s the case for a federal job guarantee .
What baby bonds is — let me start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in America , especially in the domain of wealth , is that some people have access to a capital foundation that affords them the ability to invest in an asset that will passively appreciate over their lifetime .
Big shoutout to Cory Booker and Ayanna Pressley for twin companion bills promoting a baby bond legislation .
What it is saying is , as a birthright , everyone in America gets capital , and that capital is seeded based on the financial position they ’ re born in , irrespective of their gender or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and , you know , I don ’ t want to talk too much on the show , and make sure there ’ s adequate time for conversation , so please interrupt me if I ’ m droning on .
But let me say that we know that families , even within household , make decisions on who they leave endowments to based on the sex of their child .
So , this is a counterintuitive policy that says we will endow you at birth with an account that will be managed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security .
It ’ s like building economic security over the life course , so that when you become a young adult , we won ’ t just have subsistence policy for you , but we ’ ll have some nest egg so that you can have the ability to purchase a home , invest in a business or finance a debt-free education .
The difference between a renter and a homeowner in America is one had a down payment , the other one didn ’ t .
So this provides every American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accumulation over their life course .
AMY GOODMAN : Darrick Hamilton , we want to thank you so much for being with us , incoming founding director of the newly created Institute for the Study of Race , Stratification and Political Economy at The New School .
He ’ ll also be the Henry Cohen professor of economics and urban policy there .
Professor Hamilton was a surrogate and economic adviser on Bernie Sanders ’ 2020 presidential campaign , also one of the Sanders appointees member to the Biden-Sanders Joint Task Force .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ person part of that task force , Varshini Prakash , co-founder of the Sunrise Movement .
Stay with us .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: Medicare for All and Green New Deal were key parts of the platform of Senator Bernie Sanders, who received nominating speeches from former President of the United Auto Workers Bob King and New York Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Tuesday. Even though Sanders rescinded his candidacy, he netted enough delegates during the primary to qualify for the convention. In a roll-call vote, Sanders received 1,151 delegates, while Biden secured the presidential nomination with 3,558 delegates.
For more, we’re joined by Darrick Hamilton, a former Bernie Sanders supporter who took part in the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force. He’s the incoming founding director of the newly created Institute for the Study of Race, Stratification and Political Economy at The New School.
Professor Hamilton, welcome to Democracy Now! It’s great to have you with us. So, this was very powerful, Ady Barkan speaking electronically, talking about his support for — although he didn’t use the words “Medicare for All,” he is well known as a Medicare for All activist. And Joe Biden has promised he would veto any Medicare for All bill that came to his desk, if he was president. Can you talk about that difference and whether you think, actually, there’s still possible chance for change on — if there was a President Biden?
DARRICK HAMILTON: Well, I mean, I guess the counterfactual was Donald Trump, and that helped to explain why Ady Barkan gave an unequivocal endorsement for Biden. I mean, Donald Trump really does represent an existential threat to the nation. Beyond his narcissism, he revels in trying to find loopholes to serve his purpose. So, given that context, I think the strategy is, elect Joe Biden, and on November 3rd come with the full force to ensure that Medicare for All becomes enacted into law during his administration, because healthcare should be a human right.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Professor Hamilton, could you talk somewhat about your participation in the efforts of the Bernie and Biden economic task force to reach agreement on economic proposals? What were some of your disappointments with that, and what were some of what you believe to be the successes?
DARRICK HAMILTON: We pushed him a lot with regards to at least expressing the values of a progressive movement. You know, I want to give a real big shoutout to Representative Karen Bass. I’m happy with the choice of Harris as the VP, but a big nod and hats off to Karen Bass, because I’m proud that she is going to be part of the future of the DNC party.
That said, you know, the document, if you look at it, there is a lot in there. There’s a recognition, for instance, that the U.S. Department of Agriculture defrauded Black farmers of billions of dollars. That’s pretty big. So that’s progress.
I’d say that the biggest constraint and albatross, not only on that document but the DNC party at large, is this notion of PAYGO or austerity, this notion that the government is constrained in its budget like a household. That’s a farce. That’s a myth. We have monetary power that enables us to invest in our most treasured resource, which is its people. You know, of course, I could say a lot more about that.
And one last thing I’ll say about this is, only one side of the political aisle actually pays attention to PAYGO as it relates to putting forth their agenda. Republicans could care less about PAYGO or austerity when they’re talking about tax cuts that go to the wealthiest of our nation. But somehow that becomes a conversation stopper when the Democratic Party is thinking about an economic rights platform.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And talking about this issue of austerity versus the unlimited power of government when it comes to monetary policy, we’re looking at this reality that the Standard & Poor’s 500, the stock market index, has reached record highs in the midst of this enormous economic crisis of the country. And some — a lot of analysts are saying that’s basically because companies and banks are receiving essentially free money from the Federal Reserve Bank. Could you talk about how monetary policy can affect achievement of some of the economic goals of the progressive movement?
DARRICK HAMILTON: Two points. One is, I wouldn’t say we have unlimited power on monetary policy, but the constraints on monetary policy have not been realized in a very long time. And that would be inflation or the cost at which the federal government has to pay to borrow in relation to our ability to grow the economy.
But that said, why it’s such an emphasis on measures like the stock market, it relates to, I guess, the values of the country in terms of how we — how the government invests in our economic well-being. There is too much of an emphasis on corporate well-being, with the notion that they will create some dynamism that is supposed to trickle down to all of us, as opposed to investing in people, our most treasured resource, and that that will create a dynamism that creates an infrastructure that makes us more resilient to a pandemic, to a climate catastrophe or any other economic downturn.
You know, to make this more concrete, supply-side economics, after 45 or 50 years of failure, I love that movements are starting to bubble to push back on that. We’re realizing that that is only related to our productivity gains going to the elite and not being widely dispersed. In contrast, we have precedent with the New Deal era, where we invested in people. Not only did we grow the economy, we also grew real wages. Of course there were some problems with the New Deal. We didn’t do it in a racially inclusive way, in a lot of ways.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, that’s a very interesting point. FDR wasn’t necessarily a very progressive president when he came in, but with enormous pressure from the people around him, of course, he is known for the New Deal. But can you talk about the gaps? Can you talk about, for example, the racial wealth gap? And do you think that Joe Biden, if he were president, could go through that kind of transformation? Bernie Sanders said, you know, we’re going to support him now, and then, on November 4th, we’re going to fight to ensure, you know, the platform that we originally put forward, that has to do with Green New Deal, that has to do with Medicare for All. Do you see that in Joe Biden, a kind of open door rather than a wall? And can you talk about the racial wealth gap and how it needs to be addressed?
DARRICK HAMILTON: You know, in a lot of ways, irrespective of the president, I love the line that FDR had when he was responding to progressives, as you allude to: “Make me do it.” And that’s what social movements are for. So, November 4th, I love that Bernie Sanders said, “We will be right back out there. We will make Biden do it.” But, you know, first and foremost, Donald Trump needs to get removed to the office. That has to be a priority. And then, after that, I agree, we should make them do it.
And as it relates to the racial wealth gap — you know, I’m glad you brought that up — the New Deal and the postwar policies are largely responsible for the racial wealth gap that exists today. Ira Katznelson, in his aptly titled book When Affirmative Action Was White, describes how policy, by design and implementation, was racist, even though it was universal. So, for example, if you have Social Security and the Wagner Act excluding domestic and agricultural workers, whom at the time 70% of Black women working were in those fields — I’m sorry, 90%, not 70% — and for Black men, it was over half, that was, by design, racist. And then, when you have a Jim Crow infrastructure implementing the policies without federal oversight, that is, by implementation, racist.
So, today, what AOC was talking about in her eloquent, beautiful, inspiring one minute, although she took a little longer than one minute, was an economic rights frame, but not just an economic rights frame, an economic rights frame grounded in justice, that is actively antiracist, actively anti-sexist — that’s the evolution — and an economic rights platform that’s not passive, but, by design and implementation, ensuring that all groups, regardless of identity, are included.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And speaking of economic rights, you have favored the enactment of a federal jobs guarantee, which many critics say that’s pie in the sky. But you point that there’s been historical precedent to that in the Humphrey-Hawkins Act. If you could talk about that and also about your support of baby bonds, and what exactly that would mean?
DARRICK HAMILTON: Yeah. So, the federal job guarantee, I think the best precedent is the New Deal itself — the WPA, the CCC. A lot of our infrastructure in our country today, whether it’s art, whether it’s big monuments of art, highways, bridges, etc., universities — you know, I’m from Brooklyn. Go to Brooklyn College and look at all the buildings that were erected as part of the WPA that are still relevant today. There’s a project called the Living New Deal that goes beyond our physical infrastructure and gives personal narratives about the ways in which people’s lives were transformed as a result of the New Deal.
And in speaking with Senator Sanders, you know, I was pitching the federal job guarantee, and in our conversation, he had a great response. He’s like, “Yeah, that’s all great about what the New Deal did in the past for America, but I like the framing of reimagining the future that we want and deserve.”
And that’s the point. To me, you know, we put bounds on our imagination of what we can do, but we can invest in the infrastructure that’s not only physical, but a care infrastructure, and, as you cited earlier — I don’t know if it was you, Juan, or Amy — but a Green New Deal, where we could ensure that our economy is resilient to the climate catastrophes and calamities that are coming up in the future. In essence, we could offer a guaranteed job to anyone who desires to work towards building our physical, human infrastructure, and eliminate the threat of unemployment for existing workers.
We know that if you are — you know, I give this example: If you are a waitress putting up with sexual harassment on a daily basis, you have less agency if the employer can threaten you with taking that job away, and then you’re not able to feed your children. That should be eliminated. We should have better bargaining powers so that workers aren’t completely at the whim of their employer, so that they have a viable alternative with a living wage, with good working conditions.
And we can do this. We can do this, and there’s a need, because we can just look at this pandemic and see that our public health infrastructure wasn’t ready. There’s lots of work that can be created, and people on local levels will know better what their community needs. So, that’s the case for a federal job guarantee.
What baby bonds is — let me start and say that the source of inequality in America, especially in the domain of wealth, is that some people have access to a capital foundation that affords them the ability to invest in an asset that will passively appreciate over their lifetime. Big shoutout to Cory Booker and Ayanna Pressley for twin companion bills promoting a baby bond legislation.
What it is saying is, as a birthright, everyone in America gets capital, and that capital is seeded based on the financial position they’re born in, irrespective of their gender or their race. We know that — and, you know, I don’t want to talk too much on the show, and make sure there’s adequate time for conversation, so please interrupt me if I’m droning on. But let me say that we know that families, even within household, make decisions on who they leave endowments to based on the sex of their child.
So, this is a counterintuitive policy that says we will endow you at birth with an account that will be managed by the federal government, just like Social Security. It’s like building economic security over the life course, so that when you become a young adult, we won’t just have subsistence policy for you, but we’ll have some nest egg so that you can have the ability to purchase a home, invest in a business or finance a debt-free education. The difference between a renter and a homeowner in America is one had a down payment, the other one didn’t. So this provides every American with at least an opportunity for asset accumulation over their life course.
AMY GOODMAN: Darrick Hamilton, we want to thank you so much for being with us, incoming founding director of the newly created Institute for the Study of Race, Stratification and Political Economy at The New School. He’ll also be the Henry Cohen professor of economics and urban policy there. Professor Hamilton was a surrogate and economic adviser on Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, also one of the Sanders appointees member to the Biden-Sanders Joint Task Force.
After break, we speak with another person part of that task force, Varshini Prakash, co-founder of the Sunrise Movement. Stay with us.


democracynow--2020-08-19--Ady Barkan, Medicare for All Activist Dying from ALS, Urges Biden to Adopt Universal Healthcare

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
, democracynow.org .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Juan González .
We are breaking with convention , as we cover the Democratic National Convention underway virtually this week .
As the Democratic Party formally announced Joe Biden as its nominee for president Tuesday night , one of those who joined in the call to elect him was Medicare for All activist Ady Barkan , who ’ s paralyzed and unable to speak due to terminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carl , it ’ s me , Dad .
By the time you ’ re watching this , you will have grown up to be strong and courageous .
But I don ’ t know how much longer I ’ ll be around for you .
Hello , America .
My name is Ady Barkan , and I am speaking to you through this computer voice because I have been paralyzed by a mysterious illness called ALS .
Like so many of you , I have experienced the ways our healthcare system is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims , dehumanizing treatment when we are most in need .
Since my shocking diagnosis , I have traveled the country meeting countless patients like me , demanding more of our representatives and our democracy .
Today we are witnessing the tragic consequences of our failing healthcare system .
In the midst of a pandemic , nearly 100 million Americans do not have sufficient health insurance .
And even good insurance does not cover essential needs like long-term care .
Our loved ones are dying in unsafe nursing homes , our nurses are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers are treated as dispensable .
We live in the richest country in history , and yet we do not guarantee this most basic human right .
Everyone living in America should get the healthcare they need , regardless of their employment status or ability to pay .
Even during this terrible crisis , Donald Trump and Republican politicians are trying to take away millions of people ’ s health insurance .
With the existential threat of another four years of this president , we all have a profound obligation to act — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure that our friends , family and neighbors vote , as well .
We must elect Joe Biden .
Each of us must be a hero for our communities , for our country .
And then , with a compassionate and intelligent president , we must act together and put on his desk a bill that guarantees us all the healthcare we deserve .
AMY GOODMAN : That ’ s leading Medicare for all activist Ady Barkan endorsing Joe Biden for president in a powerful address to the Democratic National Convention Tuesday @ @

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González. We are breaking with convention, as we cover the Democratic National Convention underway virtually this week. As the Democratic Party formally announced Joe Biden as its nominee for president Tuesday night, one of those who joined in the call to elect him was Medicare for All activist Ady Barkan, who’s paralyzed and unable to speak due to terminal ALS.
ADY BARKAN: Hey, Carl, it’s me, Dad. By the time you’re watching this, you will have grown up to be strong and courageous. But I don’t know how much longer I’ll be around for you.
I was diagnosed with ALS today, which is a deadly, debilitating disease.
After I was diagnosed, the president passed a tax bill that put my healthcare at risk. So I went to Washington, D.C.
BROOKE BALDWIN: My next guest made headlines when he confronted a Republican senator on an airplane.
ADY BARKAN: You can be an American hero.
I wanted to help create a better country for you to live in.
Democracy is beautiful!
PROTESTERS: Democracy is beautiful!
ADY BARKAN: All that matters to me is to make you proud, because I’m already so proud of you.
Hello, America. My name is Ady Barkan, and I am speaking to you through this computer voice because I have been paralyzed by a mysterious illness called ALS. Like so many of you, I have experienced the ways our healthcare system is fundamentally broken — enormous costs, denied claims, dehumanizing treatment when we are most in need.
Since my shocking diagnosis, I have traveled the country meeting countless patients like me, demanding more of our representatives and our democracy. Today we are witnessing the tragic consequences of our failing healthcare system.
In the midst of a pandemic, nearly 100 million Americans do not have sufficient health insurance. And even good insurance does not cover essential needs like long-term care. Our loved ones are dying in unsafe nursing homes, our nurses are overwhelmed and unprotected, and our essential workers are treated as dispensable.
We live in the richest country in history, and yet we do not guarantee this most basic human right. Everyone living in America should get the healthcare they need, regardless of their employment status or ability to pay.
Even during this terrible crisis, Donald Trump and Republican politicians are trying to take away millions of people’s health insurance. With the existential threat of another four years of this president, we all have a profound obligation to act — not only to vote, but to make sure that our friends, family and neighbors vote, as well.
We must elect Joe Biden. Each of us must be a hero for our communities, for our country. And then, with a compassionate and intelligent president, we must act together and put on his desk a bill that guarantees us all the healthcare we deserve.
AMY GOODMAN: That’s leading Medicare for all activist Ady Barkan endorsing Joe Biden for president in a powerful address to the Democratic National Convention Tuesday night.


democracynow--2020-08-19--Dems Formally Nominate Joe Biden for President, as DNC Features Republicans & Sidelines Progressives

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : We welcome everyone to our “ Breaking with Convention ” series , as we continue to cover the Democratic National Convention underway virtually this week .
The Democratic Party has formally picked Joe Biden to be its 2020 presidential nominee to challenge President Trump .
Biden was nominated Tuesday night by a security guard at The New York Times who met the former vice president in an elevator at the Times last year .
JACQUELYN BRITTANY : I take powerful people up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When they get off , they go to their important meetings .
Me ?
I just head back to the lobby .
But in the short time I spent with Joe Biden , I could tell he really saw me , that he actually cared , that my life meant something to him .
And I knew even when he went into his important meeting , he ’ d take my story in there with him .
That ’ s because Joe Biden has room in his heart for more than just himself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot , and we have tough days ahead , but nominating someone like that to be in the White House is a good place to start .
That ’ s why I nominate my friend Joe Biden as the next president of the United States .
AMY GOODMAN : While Joe Biden got Jacquelyn Brittany ’ s support , the security guard at The New York Times at the time , the Times did not endorse Joe Biden .
This came just moments after New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez nominated Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had officially remained in the race despite suspending his campaign in April .
REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ : Good evening , bienvenidos and thank you to everyone here today endeavoring towards a better , more just future for our country and our world .
In fidelity and gratitude to a mass people ’ s movement working to establish 21st century social , economic and human rights , including guaranteed healthcare , higher education , living wages and labor rights for all people in the United States ; a movement striving to recognize and repair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , misogyny and homophobia and to propose and build reimagined systems of immigration and foreign policy that turn away from the violence and xenophobia of our past ; a movement that realizes the unsustainable brutality of an economy that rewards explosive inequalities of wealth for the few at the expense of long-term stability for the many , and who organized a historic grassroots campaign to reclaim our democracy , in a time when millions of people in the United States are looking for deep , systemic solutions to our crises of mass evictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — en el espíritu del pueblo and out of a love for all people , I hereby second the nomination of Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont for president of the United States of America .
AMY GOODMAN : The Democratic Party then held a virtual roll-call vote .
The process began in Selma , Alabama , in front of the Edmund Pettus Bridge and continued across 56 other states and territories , showcasing Indigenous voices in Mexico and South Dakota , a meatpacking worker in Nebraska , a father in Florida whose daughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the parents of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming , a gay man brutally murdered there in 1998 .
The roll call ended in Biden ’ s home state of Delaware .
AMY GOODMAN : The keynote address Tuesday night was given by 17 so-called rising stars in the Democratic Party , including Pennsylvania state Representative Malcolm Kenyatta .
AMY GOODMAN : Voting rights activist Stacey Abrams , who ran for governor in Georgia in 2018 , also spoke as part of the joint keynote address .
Faced with a president of cowardice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proven courage .
He will restore our moral compass by confronting our challenges , not by hiding from them or undermining our elections to keep his job .
In a time of voter suppression at home and authoritarians abroad , Joe Biden will be a champion for free and fair elections , for a public health system that keeps us safe , for an economy that we build back better than before , and for accountability and integrity in our system of justice .
AMY GOODMAN : Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slammed President Trump ’ s performance in the White House .
AMY GOODMAN : For a second night in a row , the Democratic National Convention prominently featured the voices of Republicans and former Republicans backing Biden .
John McCain ’ s widow Cindy McCain spoke in a video about the close friendship between her husband and Biden .
Former defense secretary and Republican Senator Chuck Hagel joined a group of other former top national security officials praising Biden .
A primetime speaking slot was also given to George W. Bush ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infamously helped make the case for invading Iraq by misleading the United Nations about Iraq ’ s nonexistent weapons of mass destruction .
AMY GOODMAN : General Powell would later call that speech a blot on his career .
The second night of the Democratic National Convention ended with Dr. Jill Biden speaking in an empty classroom at Brandywine High School in Wilmington , Delaware , where she used to teach English .
JILL BIDEN : The rooms are dark , as the bright young faces that should fill them are now confined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I hear it from so many of you — the frustration of parents juggling work while they support their children ’ s learning , or afraid that their kids might get sick from school ; the concern of every person working without enough protection ; the despair in the lines that stretch out before food banks ; and the indescribable sorrow that follows every lonely last breath when the ventilators turn off .
As a mother and a grandmother , as an American , I am heartbroken by the magnitude of this loss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities , by every precious and irreplaceable life gone .
AMY GOODMAN : Dr. Jill Biden , speaking at the Democratic National Convention last night .
When we come back , we ’ ll hear remarks by Medicare for All activist Ady Barkan , who suffers from ALS , and we ’ ll speak to economist Darrick Hamilton , who took part in the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force .
Stay with us .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: We welcome everyone to our “Breaking with Convention” series, as we continue to cover the Democratic National Convention underway virtually this week. The Democratic Party has formally picked Joe Biden to be its 2020 presidential nominee to challenge President Trump. Biden was nominated Tuesday night by a security guard at The New York Times who met the former vice president in an elevator at the Times last year.
JACQUELYN BRITTANY: I take powerful people up on my elevator all the time. When they get off, they go to their important meetings. Me? I just head back to the lobby. But in the short time I spent with Joe Biden, I could tell he really saw me, that he actually cared, that my life meant something to him. And I knew even when he went into his important meeting, he’d take my story in there with him. That’s because Joe Biden has room in his heart for more than just himself. We’ve been through a lot, and we have tough days ahead, but nominating someone like that to be in the White House is a good place to start. That’s why I nominate my friend Joe Biden as the next president of the United States.
AMY GOODMAN: While Joe Biden got Jacquelyn Brittany’s support, the security guard at The New York Times at the time, the Times did not endorse Joe Biden. This came just moments after New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez nominated Biden’s challenger, Senator Bernie Sanders, who had officially remained in the race despite suspending his campaign in April.
REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ: Good evening, bienvenidos and thank you to everyone here today endeavoring towards a better, more just future for our country and our world. In fidelity and gratitude to a mass people’s movement working to establish 21st century social, economic and human rights, including guaranteed healthcare, higher education, living wages and labor rights for all people in the United States; a movement striving to recognize and repair the wounds of racial injustice, colonization, misogyny and homophobia and to propose and build reimagined systems of immigration and foreign policy that turn away from the violence and xenophobia of our past; a movement that realizes the unsustainable brutality of an economy that rewards explosive inequalities of wealth for the few at the expense of long-term stability for the many, and who organized a historic grassroots campaign to reclaim our democracy, in a time when millions of people in the United States are looking for deep, systemic solutions to our crises of mass evictions, unemployment, and lack of healthcare — en el espíritu del pueblo and out of a love for all people, I hereby second the nomination of Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont for president of the United States of America.
AMY GOODMAN: The Democratic Party then held a virtual roll-call vote. The process began in Selma, Alabama, in front of the Edmund Pettus Bridge and continued across 56 other states and territories, showcasing Indigenous voices in Mexico and South Dakota, a meatpacking worker in Nebraska, a father in Florida whose daughter was killed in the Parkland school massacre, and the parents of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming, a gay man brutally murdered there in 1998. The roll call ended in Biden’s home state of Delaware.
GOV. JOHN CARNEY: Delaware is proud to cast its 32 votes for our favorite son and our next president.
SEN. TOM CARPER: Our friend, Delaware’s Joe Biden.
AMY GOODMAN: The keynote address Tuesday night was given by 17 so-called rising stars in the Democratic Party, including Pennsylvania state Representative Malcolm Kenyatta.
REP. MALCOLM KENYATTA: When I wanted to marry the man I loved, Joe Biden was the first national figure to support me and my family.
DR. MATTHEW MILLER: Appreciate you, man.
AMY GOODMAN: Voting rights activist Stacey Abrams, who ran for governor in Georgia in 2018, also spoke as part of the joint keynote address.
STACEY ABRAMS: America faces a triple threat: a public health catastrophe, an economic collapse and a reckoning with racial justice and inequality. So, our choice is clear: a steady, experienced public servant who can lead us out of this crisis, just like he’s done before, or a man who only knows how to deny and distract; a leader who cares about our families or a president who only cares about himself. We know Joe Biden. America, we need Joe Biden. …
Faced with a president of cowardice, Joe Biden is a man of proven courage. He will restore our moral compass by confronting our challenges, not by hiding from them or undermining our elections to keep his job. In a time of voter suppression at home and authoritarians abroad, Joe Biden will be a champion for free and fair elections, for a public health system that keeps us safe, for an economy that we build back better than before, and for accountability and integrity in our system of justice.
AMY GOODMAN: Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton also spoke Tuesday night. Clinton slammed President Trump’s performance in the White House.
BILL CLINTON: Donald Trump says we’re leading the world. Well, we are the only major industrial economy to have its unemployment rate triple. At a time like this, the Oval Office should be a command center. Instead, it’s a storm center. There’s only chaos. Just one thing never changes: his determination to deny responsibility and shift the blame. The buck never stops there.
AMY GOODMAN: For a second night in a row, the Democratic National Convention prominently featured the voices of Republicans and former Republicans backing Biden. John McCain’s widow Cindy McCain spoke in a video about the close friendship between her husband and Biden. Former defense secretary and Republican Senator Chuck Hagel joined a group of other former top national security officials praising Biden. A primetime speaking slot was also given to George W. Bush’s Secretary of State Colin Powell, who infamously helped make the case for invading Iraq by misleading the United Nations about Iraq’s nonexistent weapons of mass destruction.
COLIN POWELL: Today we are a country divided, and we have a president doing everything in his power to make it that way and keep us that way. What a difference it will make to have a president who unites us, who restores our strength and our soul.
AMY GOODMAN: General Powell would later call that speech a blot on his career. The second night of the Democratic National Convention ended with Dr. Jill Biden speaking in an empty classroom at Brandywine High School in Wilmington, Delaware, where she used to teach English.
JILL BIDEN: The rooms are dark, as the bright young faces that should fill them are now confined to boxes on a computer screen. I hear it from so many of you — the frustration of parents juggling work while they support their children’s learning, or afraid that their kids might get sick from school; the concern of every person working without enough protection; the despair in the lines that stretch out before food banks; and the indescribable sorrow that follows every lonely last breath when the ventilators turn off. As a mother and a grandmother, as an American, I am heartbroken by the magnitude of this loss, by the failure to protect our communities, by every precious and irreplaceable life gone.
AMY GOODMAN: Dr. Jill Biden, speaking at the Democratic National Convention last night.
When we come back, we’ll hear remarks by Medicare for All activist Ady Barkan, who suffers from ALS, and we’ll speak to economist Darrick Hamilton, who took part in the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force. Stay with us.


democracynow--2020-08-19--Headlines for August 19, 2020

Headlines for August 19, 2020

The Democratic Party has formally selected Joe Biden as its 2020 presidential nominee to challenge President Trump in November , after an unprecedented virtual roll-call vote .
Tuesday evening ’ s keynote address was given by 17 so-called rising stars in the Democratic Party , including voting rights activist Stacey Abrams , who ran for governor in Georgia in 2018 .
Former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter also spoke Tuesday , as did failed 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry .
For a second night in a row , the Democratic National Convention prominently featured the voices of Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden : John McCain ’ s widow Cindy McCain , former defense secretary and Republican Senator Chuck Hagel , and George W. Bush ’ s Secretary of State Colin Powell , who infamously helped make the case for invading Iraq by lying to the United Nations about Iraq ’ s nonexistent weapons of mass destruction .
During a primetime address , Powell praised Biden and his late son Beau Biden , a member of the Delaware Army National Guard who deployed to Iraq in 2008 .
Colin Powell : “ It comes from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military families — sending his beloved son off to war and praying to God he would come home safe.
” New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was given just one minute to address the Democratic National Convention in a pre-taped statement .
She nominated Biden ’ s challenger Senator Bernie Sanders , who had officially remained in the race despite suspending his campaign in April .

The Democratic Party has formally selected Joe Biden as its 2020 presidential nominee to challenge President Trump in November, after an unprecedented virtual roll-call vote.
Tuesday evening’s keynote address was given by 17 so-called rising stars in the Democratic Party, including voting rights activist Stacey Abrams, who ran for governor in Georgia in 2018. Former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter also spoke Tuesday, as did failed 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.
For a second night in a row, the Democratic National Convention prominently featured the voices of Republicans and former Republicans making the case for Biden: John McCain’s widow Cindy McCain, former defense secretary and Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, and George W. Bush’s Secretary of State Colin Powell, who infamously helped make the case for invading Iraq by lying to the United Nations about Iraq’s nonexistent weapons of mass destruction. During a primetime address, Powell praised Biden and his late son Beau Biden, a member of the Delaware Army National Guard who deployed to Iraq in 2008.
Colin Powell: “It comes from the experience he shares with millions of military families — sending his beloved son off to war and praying to God he would come home safe.”
New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was given just one minute to address the Democratic National Convention in a pre-taped statement. She nominated Biden’s challenger Senator Bernie Sanders, who had officially remained in the race despite suspending his campaign in April.