Tom Cotton calls slavery 'necessary evil' in attack on New York Times' 1619 Project

The Arkansas Republican senator Tom Cotton has called the enslavement of millions of African people “the necessary evil upon which the union was built”.  Cotton, widely seen as a possible presidential candidate in 2024, made the comment in an interview with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette published on Sunday. ....
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/26/tom-cotton-slavery-necessary-evil-1619-project-new-york-times

Religious freedom is no reason to deny people with disabilities the right to equality in the workplace | TheHill

Exactly 30 years ago today, on July 26, 1990, President Bush proclaimed proudly, “With today's signing of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act, every man, woman, and child with a disability can now pass through once-closed doors into a bright new era of equality, independence, and freedom." But can they?
https://thehill.com/opinion/judiciary/509032-religious-freedom-is-no-reason-to-deny-people-with-disabilities-the-right

US intelligence community warns Russia, China, and Iran are trying to influence 2020 election

Russia, China, and Iran are working to interfere in U.S. politics in the run-up to November’s election, according to the U.S. intelligence community. William Evanina, the director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, said on Friday that these countries are seeking to undermine faith in the U.S. democratic system.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/us-intelligence-community-warns-russia-china-and-iran-are-trying-to-influence-2020-election

If you’re not terrified about Facebook, you haven’t been paying attention

Facebook and America are now indivisible, says the Observer journalist who broke the Cambridge Analytica scandal – and the world is a sicker place for it ....
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jul/26/with-facebook-we-are-already-through-the-looking-glass

Meadows On Trump-Putin Call | Talking Points Memo

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Sunday declined to say whether President Trump brought up election interference during his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the intelligence community warns of possible foreign interference in the November election. ....
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/white-house-meadows-trump-putin-election-interference

Experts gamed out a contested 2020 election — all scenarios resulted in ‘street-level violence’ in America – Raw Story

Experts are warning of a dark winter if the 2020 presidential election results are contested. https://www.rawstory.com/2020/07/experts-gamed-out-a-contested-2020-election-all-scenarios-resulted-in-street-level-violence-in-america/

Covid-19 conspiracy theories are being fed by institutions meant to inform the public - Vox

Sinclair Broadcast Group planned to allow a coronavirus conspiracy theory to air. It’s part of a worrying trend.
https://www.vox.com/2020/7/26/21338174/coronavirus-conspiracy-theories-fauci-sinclair-plandemic

Forget Putin, it's meddling by America's evangelical enforcer that should scare us

Secretary of state Mike Pompeo has a track record of pursuing the worst impulses of the US political right
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jul/26/forget-putin-its-meddling-by-americas-evangelical-enforcer-that-should-scare-us

Publix employee: Customer refused to let Black worker bag her groceries, tried to drive over him

Henrico police were called to a grocery store after a customer allegedly told employees she refused to let a Black person bag her groceries. It led to a scene at the Publix Supermarket at White Oak Village Friday morning. On top of that, employees say the customer then tried to run over an employee with her car.
https://www.nbc12.com/2020/07/24/publix-employee-customer-refused-let-black-worker-bag-her-groceries-tried-drive-over-him/

Why Joe Biden’s Climate Plan Could Unify Democrats In 2020 (Diane Rehm, On My Mind)

According to recent Gallup polling, Americans have grown more concerned about the environment since the early 2000s. And a majority say the environment is not in good shape and think the federal government should do more.

Presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, is hoping to capitalize on this shift in attitudes, releasing new plans and working to attract support from the progressive wing of the party which care deeply about these issues.

This is in sharp contrast to President Trump. He has rolled back environment regulations and continues to call climate change a hoax.

David Roberts covers energy and climate change for Vox.com. Diane spoke with him Monday afternoon.
Interview:
https://dianerehm.org/shows/2020-07-21/how-taking-on-climate-became-an-opportunity-for-joe-biden-to-unify-democrats-in-2020

COVID cases top 4 million as Trump and his base reject experts, science

People who refuse to wear a mask are bolstering their sore egos. Their national motto is not 'E Pluribus Unum,' it's 'You're not the boss of me.' ....
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/07/25/covid-cases-top-4-million-trump-base-reject-experts-column/5500345002/

Unidentified Federal Officers Are Scooping Up Protesters In Portland. Are Other Cities Next? (On Point)

Unidentified federal law enforcement officers are scooping up protesters in Portland and detaining them in unmarked vehicles. They were sent to quell protests, but many say their presence is only fanning the flames. We'll discuss the legality of a president using federal force in U.S. cities, and what it means for our democracy.
Interview:
https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2020/07/23/federal-officers-detain-protesters-portland

Everything Mike Pompeo touches turns to sh*t (Pod Save the World podcast)

Democrats sound the alarm about foreign election interference. Experts say Israel and the US are responsible for mysterious explosions across Iran. Mike Pompeo uses taxpayer dollars to run for President. A fire on a US Navy ship has major implications. Lebanon’s economy nears collapse. The UAE launched a space craft. The White House threatens to prevent 92 million Chinese citizens from entering the US. A coronavirus update and some baseball news. Then Bernie Sanders’s foreign policy advisor Matt Duss joins to talk about lessons from the 2020 campaign and how to push for a smarter, more progressive foreign policy.
Interview:
https://www.spreaker.com/user/9513168/everything-mike-pompeo-touches-turns-to-

Dems in Congress push for a more progressive foreign policy (Pod Save the World podcast)

A leadership fight in Congress that could help make the Democratic Party’s foreign policy more progressive. A far-right nationalist wins reelection in Poland. How other countries are reopening schools during COVID. Egypt cracks down on press freedom. China, the NBA and why ESPN suspended a reporter. Turkey tries to silence critics abroad. China sanctions Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio and may sign a strategic deal with Iran. And the US keeps its border closed.
Interview:
https://www.spreaker.com/user/9513168/dems-in-congress-push-for-a-more-progres

“The John Lewis Voting Rights Act.” (Pod Save America podcast)

Donald Trump’s 40-minute interview with Fox News’s Chris Wallace is perfection, the Administration is sending unidentified paramilitary troops to crack down on protesters in Portland, and America says goodbye to Congressman John Lewis and CT Vivian, two giants of the Civil Rights Movement. Then Voto Latino’s María Teresa Kumar talks to Tommy about organizing the Latino community ahead of November.
Interview:

https://www.spreaker.com/user/9513168/the-john-lewis-voting-rights-act

Local TV stations across US to air conspiracy theory on Fauci

Sinclair stations to run interview with Plandemic researcher who claims infectious disease expert created the coronavirus ....
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/25/sinclair-tv-stations-fauci-plandemic-conspiracy-theory

The federal police in Portland don’t even understand what ‘arrests’ are - The Washington Post

The government cannot lawfully exercise its power of arrest if it doesn’t realize it is, in fact, arresting people in the first place.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/portland-fourth-amendment-arrests/2020/07/24/c7e9822c-cceb-11ea-91f1-28aca4d833a0_story.html

Made-for-TV fascism: how Trump’s ‘crime explosion’ ploy could backfire

Trump is facing a big election with an even bigger need for a political masterstroke – enter a surge of federal agents to fight supposed violence
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/25/trump-federal-agents-portland-ploy-election

Social Security is back on McConnell's chopping block with his latest COVID-19 'relief' plan

There is an awful lot of bad in the coronavirus relief package Sen. Mitch McConnell is struggling to put together with his divisive Republican conference. One bright spot seemed to be that the extremely bad idea from Donald Trump of a payroll tax cut has been finally put to rest. It seems that laying the groundwork for eventual big cuts to Social Security and Medicare by starving the trust fund in this bill was too controversial and too transparent for Republicans. So they decided to do it a much sneakier way. ....
https://www.dailykos.com/story/2020/7/24/1963490/-Social-Security-is-back-on-McConnell-s-chopping-block-with-his-latest-COVID-19-relief-plan

Are Seeds of Fascism Being Sown in the United States? | Amanpour and Company

Jason Stanley is a professor of philosophy at Yale University, and in his new book "How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them," he explores the inner mechanics of fascism and the forces that drive dictatorships. Stanley joins Hari Sreenivasan to explain his concern at signs of fascism on the rise in the U.S.
https://youtu.be/nHFt7Ov0JNs