Newsletter 7.30.19

Hi all, thanks again for all your support. Here's this week's newsletter. Enjoy!

-- Nima, Marco, Adam, and Florence

------

I Went to a Climate Change Denial Conference. It Made Even Less Sense Than You’d Think.

Christine MacDonald, In These Times (July 26, 2019)

The Heartland Institute’s 13th International Climate Change Conference, a gathering of climate change deniers, featured speakers that claimed rising Carbon Dioxide levels were good for the environment and fossil companies should receive further subsidies among other ludicrous and unscientific opinions. While the climate denial movement is facing more evidence than ever that climate change is real, a wave of youth climate activism and a loss of funding their views still receive a large amount of uncritical coverage.

As Puerto Rico Erupts in Protests, La Junta Eyes More Power Kate Aronoff, The Intercept (July 24, 2019)

Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló announced his resignation after mass protests against his conduct and an economic crisis. However the unelected board of officials that have forced austerity on Puerto Rico, the Fiscal Oversight and Management Board, known as “la junta,” may use the crisis of legitimacy as an opportunity to lobby for more control of Puerto Rico’s finances against the wishes of the citizens that fought for more autonomy.   

A Tale of Two Prisoners Alex Press, Jacobin (July 27, 2019) 

The swirl of headlines and speculation surrounding Jeffrey Epstein has made his imprisonment a high-profile story. But Epstein’s alleged past of abusing minors with limited repercussions is in stark contrast to other victims of the criminal justice system, such as Ramsey Orta who filmed Eric Garner’s murder and has been tortured in prison ever since.

The Democratic Party’s Iran Warhawks Who Fly Under the Radar Sarah Lazare, In These Times (July 23, 2019 )

Seven Democrats put themselves on the furthest right of the party on foreign policy by voting against an amendment to the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act prohibiting unauthorized military force against Iran. Four of these Democrats have been aggressively courted by Saudi and UAE lobbyists.

MSNBC’s Anti-Sanders Bias Makes It Forget How to Do Math Katie Halper, FAIR (July 26, 2019)

MSNBC has been caught multiple times manipulating polling data in graphics to make the results seem worse for Bernie Sanders than they are according to the raw data. MSNBC has neglected important context for some stats, conspicuously put Sanders under lower polling candidates in graphics, and even used incorrect numbers from polls.   

The ‘Total Anarchy’ of Wet Cops Josmar Trujillo, FAIR (July 26, 2019)

The New York tabloids used apocalyptic language to describe two events where police officers had water poured on them while they offered more muted assessments of police abuse in the wake of the acquittal of Eric Garner’s killer. The overblown language is endemic of how much local media has bought into the pro-police narrative.  

Media Can’t Quit ‘Trump Supporters Support Trump’ Stories Julie Hollar, FAIR (July 24, 2019)

As the media ramps up for coverage of the 2020 election, they have fallen into a familiar article format, the rural Trump voters still support Trump profile. These articles and TV segments often come from towns that were already Republican-leaning or feature members of groups dedicated to Trump’s re-election. They often serve to frame any objectionable thing that Trump does as appealing to his base.  

The Government’s Arguments for Restoring the Death Penalty All Fail Sarah Lustbader, The Appeal (July 26, 2019)

Attorney General William Barr listed four basic arguments for reinstating the federal death penalty: the death penalty is what the American people want, death row inmates have committed acts too heinous for anyone to care about their lives, the system is fair and accurate, and the deaths will bring peace to victims. These arguments fall apart when assessing the reality of death penalty cases, polling, and the obvious issues in the criminal justice system.

New York City’s Homeless Diversion Program is ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ Reform, Advocates Say Raven Rakia, The Appeal (July 26, 2019)

A New York City initiative to divert homeless people arrested on the subway to participating shelter and services has been criticized as ineffective because the initiative is a coercive measure that dangles arrest over the heads of the homeless. Furthermore, advocates have criticized De Blasio for not investing in actual affordable housing measures that would be more effective in aiding the homeless. 

What the House Anti-BDS Resolution Reveals About the Palestine Solidarity Movement Phyllis Bennis., The Nation (July 29, 2019)

A recently passed house bill that condemned BDS and its lopsided passage shows that the movement for Palestinian solidarity has not yet pierced DC. However, the growing support for Palestinian solidarity among the general public is an opportunity for activists to attempt to make inroads with the broader center-left coalition.