US now
the Senate passes the US$ 1.9tn Covid Relief Package - the Guardian: LINK ¤ the GUARDIAN
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- "the Senate passes the huge US$ 1.9tn Covid relief and stimulus package - of the Biden-Harris team !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "after Democrats take a critical step towards the first major legislative victory - since assuming control of Congress and the White House !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "with a party-line vote in the Senate - to approve the bill, that has broad public appeal !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "with funds for the states - federal agencies - millions of workers and students - and the vaccination programme !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "Joe Biden and Kamala Harris hail the Senate passage - of the "desperately needed" relief !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "after a marathon voting session through the night - because of Republican opposition !"
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- "to approve the sweeping stimulus package - the final tally was 50-49 - with one Republican senator absent !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "one of the largest emergency aid packages in history - now returns to the House for final approval - before being signed into law by Joe Biden !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker, expects to approve the measure before 14 March - when tens of millions of Americans would risk losing unemployment benefits if no action was taken !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "the bill combats Covid - and revives the economy - provides direct payments of up to US$ 1,400 to most people !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "extends unemployment benefits - rush money to state, local, and tribal governments !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "and allots significant funding - to vaccine distribution and testing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "students are forgiven tax payments on loans - and federal unemployment payments of US$ 300 a week will be extended to September !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "it provides US$ 350bn for state, local, and tribal governments - and there will be assistance for those unable to make mortgage repayments !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "over the rest of the year, the funds are expected to lift national income - by between 3% and 4% !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- Kamala Harris says: "I want to thank all of the senators who worked so hard - to do the right thing for the American people !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "during this crisis, where millions of Americans were out of work - and struggled to pay for rent and for food !"
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- "and voting to pass - the American Rescue Plan !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "it obviously wasn’t easy - but it is so desperately needed - urgently needed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "speaking to reporters, the Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer - was asked if another bill might be needed ?!"
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- ""it is a very strong bill" - he says - "part of it will depend on Covid - how long will it last, will there be a new strain ?!""
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- "experts warn of a potential fourth surge as variants emerge - and predominantly Republican states !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "much too early fully reopen their economies - and abandon basic public health measures !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- ""part of it will depend on the economy" - says Schumer - "it has some underlying weaknesses that need bolstering !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!""
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- "how deep and weak are those ?! - our No 1 lodestar is going to be helping - the American people !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "and if they need - more help ?! - we will do - another bill !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "but this bill is sufficient - it helps in a big way - particularly the smaller economy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "Joe Biden quotes Bernie Sanders as he hails the stimulus bill - as "progressive" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- Biden says: "when I was elected - I said we’re going to get the government out of the business of reacting on Twitter !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "and back in the business of delivering for the American people - of making a difference in their lives !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "to show the American people that their government can work for them - and passing the American Rescue Plan - does that !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "it is about the overwhelming bipartisan support - of the American people !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "every public opinion poll shows that people want this - the majority believes it is needed - and believes it is urgent !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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Megan Rapinoe endorses Elizabeth Warren - the Guardian: LINK ¤ the GUARDIAN
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- "Megan Rapinoe was a key player - in the Women’s soccer World Cup in France !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "making headlines on the pitch and off it - as she clashes publicly with Donald Trump !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "Megan Rapinoe announces her support for the Democratic presidential candidate - Elizabeth Warren !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- Megan Rapinoe: "I’m proud to endorse Elizabeth Warren - for being bold !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "for being real - for listening to ALL of us !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "and for being prepared to navigate the unique challenges - we face today as a country !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "in an interview on CNN Tonight with Don Lemon - Rapinoe says Warren’s platform brings a different vision of America !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "than what - we have had !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- Rapinoe also says: "Trump had used the office to personally enrich himself - his family and people around him !"
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- "he abused power - and he didn’t give all the information !"
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- "Rapinoe explains that it is more important, however - to show people that there’s a better way forward !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "addressing challenges with healthcare - and climate - for instance !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
there was a special Intention, when Trump lied - the Guardian: LINK ¤ the GUARDIAN
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- "the Democratic senator from Vermont Bernie Sanders - unmasks Donald Trump !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- Bernie Sanders: "Trump had a fragile relationship - with the truth !"
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- "Trump often lied - and this was not an accident !"
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- "there was a special intention - behind that !"
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- "he really believed - that this would be an advantage for him !"
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- "there was a conscious strategy of lies - that should denigrate !"
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- "key public institutions !"
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- "from the mainstream media - to judges - and even the electoral process itself !"
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- "we all have to protect - against authoritarian tendencies !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "but Sanders was also concerned about Trump’s reactionary economic program - of tax breaks to billionaires !"
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- "Sanders finds comfort in the evidence - that the resistance is already in full swing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "we are seeing a very active progressive movement - a massive grassroots resistance right now !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "a common willingness of the people - to protect our democracy - and to improve it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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US Foreign Policy:
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- from 2008 to 2016, the US - almost for the first time - did not act out of self interest !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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- but what is good - for a state !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - ( for example in Egypt - and in Libya !!!!!!!!!!!! )
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- would you please consider - to do it more often ?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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- ( this is not only the best for a state - but also for the worldwide community !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - ( and at the end also for the US !!!!!!!!!!!! ))
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Trump Tax Documents - the Guardian: LINK ¤ the GUARDIAN
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- "the publication of tax documents - of Donald Trump !"
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- "suggest that Trump was able - to escape paying income tax !"
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- "for nearly - two decades !"
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- "( Trump had refused to follow 40 years of tradition - and publish his tax returns ! )"
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- "the leaked tax returns reveal - how Trump used aggressive accounting tactics !"
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- "and the failure - of several businesses !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "to claim a loss of US$ 916m - in his 1995 personal filing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "Trump did not deny the damning conclusions - the filing in a manila envelope has been sent from inside Trump Tower !"
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- "the veracity of the document was also confirmed - by his former accountant, Jack Mitnick !"
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- "several of Trump's business ventures - defaulted on creditors - by declaring bankruptcy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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50 former Security Officials are warning against Trump - the Guardian: LINK ¤ the GUARDIAN_________________________________________
- "50 national security officials - issues their most vociferous repudiation of Donald Trump to date !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "in an open letter they reject - Trump’s "alarming ignorance" of basic international affairs !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "and his competence at understanding - US national interests !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "Donald Trump shows no interest - in educating himself !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "he continues to display an alarming ignorance - of basic facts of contemporary international politics !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "most fundamentally, Trump lacks the character - values - and experience !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "Donald Trump weakens - US authority !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- ( the original paper states "moral authority" - but the US did not have high moral standards !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - ( as the cables have shown !!!!!!!!!!!! ))
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- "there are new reports based on the leak of millions of documents - from the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca !"
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- "it has now come to light that the extent of Panama’s tax avoidance scams - was even worse than feared !"
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- "but the US itself had emerged as a popular venue - for tax avoidance !"
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- "the US states of Nevada, Wyoming, and South Dakota had been promoted - as hot markets to avoid tax and stash cash secretly !"
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- "because the US had been resisting - international disclosure reforms ! - ( the US and Panama had refused to participate in the new OECD rules ! )"
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- "the Tax Justice Network ranked the US third - in its annual financial secrecy index !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "and cited its wide array of secrecy - and tax-free facilities for non-residents !"
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- "Mossack Fonseca had operations in Nevada - according to the leaked papers employees attempted !"
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- "to "obscure" documents and "clean" computer logs - after it was issued a subpoena by a federal court in Las Vegas !"
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- "internal emails show that a Mossack Fonseca employee travelled from Panama - to the Nevada office !"
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- ""when Andrés came to Nevada he cleaned up everything - and brought all documents to Panama" - read an email !"
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- "another email said it was important that any links between the company’s computers in Panama and Nevada - had to be obscure to the investigators !"
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- "the destruction of documents with the intent to impede or obstruct an investigation is a crime - punishable by up to 20 years in jail under US law !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "Eric LeCompte, executive director of the Jubilee USA Network, a faith advocacy group - says: !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "these actions demonstrate how important this leak is - and how many people desperately wanted to stop it from coming to light !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "Nevada was a hub for financial secrecy - in the US !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "the US must pass legislation - that shines a light on these secretive shell companies !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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Donald Trump on Women - the Guardian: LINK ¤ the GUARDIAN
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- "Megyn Kelly, a 44-year-old TV journalist, has drawn praise - for her searching questions !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "in the TV debate, Kelly provoked Donald Trump - by challenging him on his attitude to women !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "noting that Trump had called - women !"
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- ""fat pigs" - "dogs" - and "disgusting animals""
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- "Donald Trump was furious - and replied later on CNN: !"
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- "you could see there was blood coming out of her eyes - blood coming out of her wherever !"
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- "Kelly has acknowledged the sexism - was built into the TV business, where she worked: "it was not easy for women - because there was an assumption that maybe you’ve moved up for reasons other than your mind" !"
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- "working for a TV station, Fox TV - with a reputation for taking partisan - conservative - positions !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "Fox News - is not independent !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "and Fox is failing to add younger viewers - Kelly was brought in precisely to try to turn around its demographics predicament !"
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Hillary Clinton criticises the Uber Business Model for exploiting Workers - the Guardian: LINK ¤ the GUARDIAN
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- "Hillary Clinton slammed the - "on-demand economy" !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "accusing bosses of exploiting their workers - by "misclassifying them as contractors" !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "the sharing economy by technology startups like Uber - Airbnb - and Lyft !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "is raising hard questions about workplace protection - and what a good job will look like in the future !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "Uber’s employment model: its workers were classified as independent contractors - and not employees !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "which means Uber wasn’t responsible for a host of expenses - like payroll taxes, fuel, car insurance, and sick pay !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "we have to build - a fairness economy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "we must raise incomes for hard-working Americans - so they can afford a middle-class life !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "we must drive strong and steady income growth - that lifts up families and lifts up our country !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "equal pay for women - and raising the minimum wage !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "leadership is - planting trees - under whose shade you will never sit !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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Jeb Bush's Iraq Fumble - the Guardian: LINK ¤ the GUARDIAN
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- "Jeb Bush shares fourth opinion - in as many days !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "on the wisdom of his brother’s extremely unpopular decision - to invade Iraq in 2003 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "after a week’s worth of - stumbling statements !"
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- "Jeb Bush says: "I would have not gone into Iraq" !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "the firm "no" on the question of informed invasion came after days - in which Bush issued contradictory statements !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "on Monday he told an interviewer - he would have invaded Iraq - even "knowing what we know now" !"
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- "on Tuesday he said - he had "interpreted the question wrong" !"
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- "and also said - he would not answer a "hypothetical" !"
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- "on Thursday Bush grudgingly - offered a new take !"
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- "knowing what we know now - what would you have done ?"
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- "I would have not engaged - I would have not gone into Iraq !!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "Jeb Bush had defended the Iraq war - despite broad and sustained public opposition to it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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Social Democracy - the Guardian: LINK ¤ the GUARDIAN
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- "fans of the Democratic senator Bernie Sanders - flock in the hundreds of thousands !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "to support - putting people first !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "what does social democracy - the standard society model in Europe - mean in America ?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- Bernie Sanders: "capitalism will go on - but with more stringent regulations !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "higher taxes - will be introduced !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "and greater responsiveness - to democratically elected governments will be sought !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "his 12-point plan envisions building infrastructure - ensuring equal pay for women !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "making it easier to create worker cooperatives - introducing a carbon tax !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "reducing the cost of college - and lifting up the middle class and the poor !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "for a range of policies - that are simply humane !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "to reduce the wealth gap - is the most important thing that shapes politics !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "social democracy is a way to introduce - a simple modicum of humanity into our economic system !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Bernie Sanders draws Record Crowds - Democracy Now: LINK ¤ DEMOCRACY NOW
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- "the Democratic senator Bernie Sanders draws record crowds - the country hasn’t seen this kind of crowds before !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- Bernie Sanders: "we can !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "we can provide healthcare to every man - woman and child as a right !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "we can make certain - that every person in this country can get all of the education she or he needs - regardless of the income !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "we can create millions of decent-paying jobs - we can have the best child care system in the world !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "there had been a redistribution of wealth - to the top one-tenth of 1 percent !"
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- "our job is - to reverse that !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "to redistribute wealth back - into the hands of working families !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Democracy Now:
- "talk about how Bernie Sanders fits into the bigger picture - Richard ?!"
Richard Wolff - emeritus Professor of economics at University of Massachusetts:
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- "as some countries now show - there is the potential of a mass popular resistance !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "against a system that had divided people into a tiny number of very wealthy - and a mass !"
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- "this system had produced bad outcomes - and this system was not just !"
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- "more and more people are critical of - and want to change !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "but the conventional politics don’t see it - don’t act on it - don’t even speak about it !"
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- "so it becomes a kind of a vacuum - where there’s no political expression !"
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- "of what a growing mass of people - feel !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "and so it is a solution, into which you drop that last little bit of hard material - and everything crystallizes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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- "everybody is waiting - for the new political voice to emerge !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
