The dangerous American fascist: Why Fox News claims ‘they’ are destroying ‘white culture’

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Why Fox News Claims ‘They’ Are Destroying ‘White Culture’

I’m struggling to explain why a Fox News host would say to the American people, “they’re trying to take down the white culture!”

Democracies don’t turn into fascist oligarchies by being invaded or losing wars. It always happens from within, and is always driven by an alliance between demagogic, populist politicians and some of the very wealthiest people in society. 

Step one for these right-wing politicians and the morbidly rich who support them is to pit one group of people within the nation against others: Marginalize and demonize minorities, deny them access to the levers of democratic power while openly attacking them for trying to usurp the privileges and prerequisites of the majority. Continue reading.

Wray grilled on FBI’s handling of Jan. 6

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FBI Director Christopher Wray was largely on the defensive Thursday as lawmakers and Democrats in particular picked apart the bureau’s actions surrounding the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, as well as its approach to domestic extremists.

Wray’s appearance before the House Judiciary Committee follows a report from senators investigating widespread failures across a number of intelligence and law enforcement agencies ahead of the riot.

“The FBI’s inaction in the weeks leading up to Jan. 6 is simply baffling. It is hard to tell whether FBI Headquarters merely missed the evidence — which had been flagged by your field offices and was available online for all the world to see — or whether the bureau saw the intelligence, underestimated the threat and simply failed to act. Neither is acceptable. We need your help to get to the bottom of it,” Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) said. Continue reading.

WATCH: Matt Gaetz clashes with Jerry Nadler after getting cut off during FBI oversight hearing

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Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) briefly clashed with Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) after being cut off at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday.

The Florida Republican questioned FBI director Christopher Wray over claims made by Chinese virologist Li Meng Yan, who has told Fox News she believes that COVID-19 was developed in a laboratory and intentionally released, and Gaetz asked him to confirm whether the bureau was investigating those allegations.

“I’m not sure there is much I can say about specific investigations,” Wray said. “I will say couple of things. One, I have been very vocal and continue to be vocal about the counterintelligence threat that takes forms,- a variety of forms, from the Chinese Communist Party. I think it is one of the most important threats.” Continue reading.

Drop in childhood vaccinations during pandemic may raise risk of other outbreaks when schools reopen, CDC says

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NOTE: This article is provided free of charge for all to read by The Washington Post.

The American Academy of Pediatrics calls on parents to get their children up-to-date on shots before they return to class.

Routine childhood vaccinations dropped dramatically during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, and although they began rebounding last summer as families rescheduled doctors’ visits, many children and adolescents are behind on their shots, according to a federal health report released Thursday.

The lag might pose “a serious public health threat” of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable illnesses, such as measles and whooping cough, that have the potential to derail school-reopenings, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

With health-care systems overburdened, CDC is recommending that providers givecoronavirus vaccines on the same day as other vaccines, especially when children and teens are behind or in danger of falling behind on recommended shots. The CDC changed its guidance last month to allow for coronavirus shots to be given at the same time as others. Continue reading.

GOP’s Tom Cotton repeatedly cuts off America’s first Black defense secretary as he fumes over diversity training

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During a hearing this Thursday, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) rattled off a list of examples of what he says is law enforcement and the military introducing “woke” ideology into their training systems that “rewrites America’s history” and paints America as a systemically racist country.

He then turned to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin — who happens to be America’s first Black Defense Secretary — and asked him, “Do you believe that our military is a fundamentally racist organization? Yes or no, please.” 

“Well, I won’t give you a yes or no answer on that, sir, because it deserves more than a yes or no,” Austin replied. “The military, like any organization, will have its challenges. I do not believe it is a fundamentally racist organization.” Continue reading.

Only in our anti-truth hellscape could Anthony Fauci become a supervillain

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Right-wing commentators are pretending that thousands of newly released emails from Anthony S. Fauci represent some kind of smoking gun against the government’s top infectious-disease expert, whom they have recently decided to try to destroy.

I haven’t been nearly as excited by the emails, which are mostly full of mundane correspondence. But there’s at least one line in them that stands out.

“I genuflect to no one but science and always, always speak my mind when it comes to public health,” the normally even-tempered scientist wrote in March of last year, to an epidemiologist who had accused a number of public health officials of appeasing the science-challenged President Donald Trump. Continue reading.

Jim Jordan starts FBI hearing with a frenzied rant about Trump’s social media bans and the raid of Rudy Giuliani’s home

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Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) loudly pursued MAGA grievances during a House oversight hearing with FBI director Christopher Wray.

The Ohio Republican opened the House Judiciary Committee hearing with an extended rant against coronavirus restrictions, former president Donald Trump’s social media ban, a grassroots campaign to get Fox News removed from cable carriers, and the FBI raid of the ex-president’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani.

“Big tech censoring conservatives, the cancel culture mob attacking anyone who disagrees with them, deplatforming the sitting president of the United States, Democrats writing letters to the network carriers telling them to take certain news organizations off their platform,” Jordan said. “Freedom is under attack and, director, a lot of Americans think you’re part of the problem.” Continue reading.

Biden, Boris Johnson agree to a revitalized Atlantic Charter in first meeting

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President Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday agreed to a revitalized Atlantic Charter in their first face-to-face meeting, a day ahead of the Group of Seven summit. The document, which updates an agreement signed in 1941, seeks to build on common principles to address new challenges, including climate change and cyberattacks.

Biden, visiting England on his first overseas trip as president, later described the U.S. decision to donate 500 million doses of coronavirus vaccine to other nations as “a monumental commitment by the American people.” He said other G-7 nations would also be announcing vaccine commitments. View the post and updates here.

Mystery surrounds Justice’s pledge on journalist records

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The Department of Justice’s (DOJ) pledge that it will no longer secretly obtain the records of journalists has left a number of unanswered questions about the department’s handling of leak investigations initiated during the Trump era.

It’s not clear what high-ranking Biden officials knew and when as the Justice Department proceeded with cases involving reporters from three different media outlets or why the department continued to push for gag orders in two cases even after President Biden said late last month that seizure of journalist records was “simply wrong.”

Press advocates were happy to see the DOJ reverse itself Saturday and say it would no longer target journalists, but they also point out they’d like to know more. Continue reading.

Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: June 11, 2021

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Governor Walz, Lieutenant Governor Flanagan Respond to Minnesota’s Strong Revenue Report

On Thursday, Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan released statements on the State of Minnesota’s monthly revenue report issued by Minnesota Management and Budget:

“Minnesota’s economy is strong, and we’re working to make sure it’s even stronger than before. This strong economic outlook proves the people of Minnesota are resilient, and we should continue to invest in them. With this news, I expect our state’s legislative leaders to come together to pass a budget for all Minnesotans. Minnesota’s COVID-19 Recovery Budget will allow us to continue to rise and rebuild by supporting working families, students, and small businesses while further driving our state’s economic recovery,” said Governor Walz. 

“While we are still enduring the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, today’s revenue report shows that Minnesota has the resources to make responsible and meaningful investments that help those who were hit hardest recover. Whether it’s helping students catch up on learning, supporting small businesses across the state who made sacrifices to keep people safe, or creating economic security for working families struggling to pay bills and put food on the table after job loss, we can build a budget that invests in the future of Minnesota’s children and families and gets us back to better,” said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. 

Continue reading “Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: June 11, 2021”