Democracy Now!

Democracy Now! is a national, daily, independent, award-winning news program hosted by journalists Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez. Pioneering the largest public media collaboration in the US.

Koch bros. may be key in US inaction on climate change

Dec 062012
 
 News blog

from Democracy Now

The billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch are known for funneling vast donations into Republican campaigns in the United States. But what impact are the Koch brothers having on global warming? As the United States is accused of blocking progress at the U.N. climate talks in Doha, a new report says the Koch brothers may be the biggest force behind the climate stalemate. The Kochs run oil refineries and control thousands of miles of pipeline, giving them a massive personal stake in the fossil fuel industry. Researchers say they have also funneled tens of millions into climate denial science, lobbying and other efforts to derail policy that could lessen the impact of global warming. We’re joined by Victor Menotti, executive director of the International Forum on Globalization.

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US fast food workers strike

Dec 032012
 
 News blog

from Democracy Now

Fast-food workers walked off the job in New York City Thursday to hold a series of rallies and picket lines in what has been called the largest series of worker actions ever to hit the country’s fast-food industry. Hundreds of workers at dozens of restaurants owned by McDonald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell and others went on strike and rallied in a bid for fair pay and union recognition. Organizers with the Fast Food Forward campaign are seeking an increased pay rate of $15 an hour, about double what the minimum-wage workers are making. Workers and their allies demanded a wage that would let them support their families. Democracy Now! co-host Juan González spoke to many of the striking workers for his latest New York Daily News column, "One-day strike by fast-food workers at McDonald’s, Burger King and other restaurants is just the beginning."…

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Romney made millions from Detroit bailout – Palast

Oct 192012
 
 News blog

from Democracy Now

Three of Romney’s top donors made more than $4 billion for their hedge funds from the bailout.

We turn now to a major new exposé on the cover of The Nation magazine called "Mitt Romney’s Bailout Bonanza: How He Made Millions from the Rescue of Detroit." Investigative reporter Greg Palast reveals how Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney made some $15 million on the auto bailout and that three of Romney’s top donors made more than $4 billion for their hedge funds from the bailout. Palast’s report is part of a film-in-progress called "Romney’s Bailout Bonanza." Palast is the author of several books, including recently released New York Times bestseller, Billionaires & Ballot Bandits: How to Steal an Election in 9 Easy Steps.…

 

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Chávez re-elected in Venezuela with 54 percent

Oct 092012
 
 News blog

from Democracy Now

Hugo Chávez Wins Re-election in Venezuela with 54% of Vote

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez:

"I send my words of recognition to all of those who voted against us. I send out a special recognition for your democratic talent, for your participation, for the civic demonstration that you have given today despite not agreeing with the Bolivarian proposition. I invite you to dialogue, to debate and to the joint work for a Bolivarian Venezuela."…

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17 arrested in support of Illinois Wal-Mart strike

Oct 032012
 
 News blog

from Democracy Now

Police in riot gear arrested at least 17 protesters who sat down in the middle of a road leading to a Wal-Mart warehouse in Elwood, Illinois, on Monday in a bid to support striking workers. The arrests were made after some 600 people sang, chanted and marched toward the warehouse, which is run by a contractor but supplies Wal-Mart stores. Warehouse workers went on strike more than two weeks ago amidst allegations of sexual harassment, dangerous working conditions, unpaid wages and retaliation against organizers. Managers reportedly fired several leaders and threatened others after they delivered a petition. The strike in Illinois follows another strike by some three dozen workers at a Wal-Mart supply warehouse in Southern California who have also pushed for fairer workplace conditions.

Botched NFL call sparks wide support for unionized refs

Sep 272012
 
 News blog

from Democracy Now

 

A labor dispute between the National Football League and the union representing its referees reached a fever pitch Monday night during a game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers when substitute referees failed to call pass interference before a last-second touchdown. The play ended the game in favor of the Seahawks, when many argue it should have gone the other way. The play focused attention on the NFL’s decision to use substitute referees after it locked out the regular professionals over a dispute about pension plans and compensation.

 

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Factory bosses trapped workers in deadly Pakistan blaze

Sep 172012
 
 News blog

From Democracy Now

 

Pakistani authorities have registered a murder case against factory owners and government officials after a Karachi factory blaze killed nearly 300 people Tuesday in the country’s worst industrial disaster. As relatives mourned the dead Thursday, survivors said factory managers had intentionally locked the building’s main 30-foot sliding door, trapping workers, in order to save a stock of stonewashed jeans due for export to Europe. The move reportedly left hundreds of workers trapped in the blaze with just one available exit. Relatives of the victims gathered at the factory Thursday to search for the bodies of their loved ones.

 

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Wisconsin court strikes down Scott Walker’s anti-union law.

Sep 142012
 
 News blog

from Democracy Now!

A Wisconsin judge has struck down Gov. Scott Walker’s union-busting law because Republican legislators failed to provide sufficient public notice before passing the measure in March. The law sharply curbs nearly all collective bargaining rights of state employees. We speak to John Nichols of The Nation magazine on the future of the bill, Wisconsin’s repressive new voter ID bill, and Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) budget proposals to overhaul Medicare and Medicaid. [includes rush transcript] …

Reference:

The Battle for Wisconsin

Bush admin ignored 9/11 warnings – newly-obtained documents

Sep 132012
 
 News blog

From Democracy Now

 

Newly disclosed documents provide further evidence the administration of George W. Bush ignored repeated warnings about Osama bin Laden’s plans to attack the United States. In "500 Days: Secrets and Lies in the Terror Wars,” author and journalist Kurt Eichenwald fleshes out how the Bush administration dismissed a number of warnings of an al-Qaeda attack against the United States beginning in the spring of 2001, instead focusing on alleged threats from Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

 

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