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The Future of the Republican Party, Part 1
Brief #17—Elections and Politics
By William Bourque
On January 20th, 2021, a large part of the country collectively sighed relief. After days of tumult and chaos, President Trump had finally left office, and for what felt like the first time in months, we could see a light at the end of the tunnel. However, we were quickly reminded that just because President Trump was out of office didn’t mean that his influence and rhetoric would disappear. However, throughout the past several months it has been made abundantly clear that the “Trumpism” is here to stay, at least for now. With that in mind we will begin an in-depth series on our predictions for the future of the Republican Party, whether that includes former President Trump or not.
The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act Can Help Fight Restrictive Voter Suppression Bills
Brief #158—Civil Right
By Rod Maggay
In 2013 the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in the Shelby County v. Holder case. The case was brought seeking to have Sections 4(b) and 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 declared unconstitutional. The Voting Rights Act had been enacted to address racial discrimination in voting that had been a longstanding feature in a number of states, particularly in the Deep South.
Amazon Workers Vote Against Union in Alabama
Brief #12—Social Justice
By Lily Lady Cook
In the United States, Amazon operates 110 fulfillment centers, and has increased its employees in the past year to around 1.2 million workers worldwide. Those employed in Amazon’s fulfillment centers have become highly visible during the pandemic, as the nation becomes more aware of our essential workers and the mechanisms of the global supply chain.
Since Amazon’s inception in 1994, there have been multiple attempts at collective organizing; workers in Staten Island, Chicago, Virginia, and now Alabama have attempted but ultimately failed to unionize. In this latest instance, warehouse workers began a union voting process in Bessemer, Alabama, in coordination with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). The results were announced earlier this month, and indicated a resounding victory for Amazon. Of the 5,800 workers, 3,215 cast ballots. 1,798 of those voted against a union and 738 in favor. In order for the union to proceed, at least 30 percent of voters would have had to indicate support; in this case, a mere 13 percent of workers were in favor.
President Biden calls for Gun Reform in the U.S.
Brief #11—Social Justice
By Erika Shannon
In the wake of several recent mass shootings, there is pressure on President Biden to reform gun laws here in the U.S. With mass shootings in Georgia, Colorado, Texas, and South Carolina recently, many are urging the President to do something before the violence continues to spiral out of control. While some are concerned that President Biden’s reforms will infringe on their Second Amendment rights, Biden alleges that is not the case. A major first step was the President’s nomination of David Chipman to lead the ATF, or Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Chipman is a gun owner, a former ATF employee, and staff member at Giffords, the gun reform organization founded by US Senator Mark Kelly.
Southern Border Mass Migration at Highest Level in Decades
Brief #120—Immigration
By Kathryn Baron
In March 2021, CBP apprehended at least 170,000 migrants at the US Southwest Border – the highest in 15 years and a 70% increase from February 2021. Nearly 19,000 unaccompanied children were taken into custody after crossing the border – including at port entries – quadrupling figures for the same month in 2020. Many are meeting relatives in the US and/or they are economic migrants looking for work.
Can Biden Push through His Healthcare Reforms?
Brief #102—Healthcare and Gender
By Rosalind Gottfried’
Biden has outlined an ambitious reform of the Affordable Care Act though his ability to achieve all of his goals rests on the solidarity of the Democrats since he will not have any Republican support, and consensus is not appearing likely. The element most at risk for failure is the issue of a public option, a proposal that was eliminated from the Bill in the Obama administration because it was too divisive.
One way to incorporate a public option is to expand Medicare to younger Americans, to age 55 or 60, and to extend care to dental and vision coverage. This is the plan promoted by Senator Bernie Sanders. Another proposal is in a bill by Democratic Senators Michael Bennet and Time Kaine which would expand Medicare to allow anyone to buy into it and pay a premium including small businesses. Neither of these proposals is likely to win the day. Biden, if successful at all in incorporating a public option, will likely provide for buying insurance directly through the federal government in a system like the current insurance federal insurance exchange. The benefit of this approach is that the government, by directly selling insurance, can set a lower price by appealing to a large segment of the insurance buying public. In order to stay successful, private insurances would have to mirror that rate. As a result, premiums would go down and more of the population would participate. Biden also has increased the tax subsidy for purchasing insurance making the premiums lower. Biden’s extension of the current enrollment period to May 15, 2021, coupled with subsidies under the American Rescue act, has resulted in over a half a million newly insured Americans to date.
I Heard it Through the Pipeline: An Update on Three Controversial Oil Pipeline Projects
Brief #111—Environment
By Jacob Morton
From the beginning of his presidency, Donald Trump made every effort to weaken the country’s environmental protections and accelerate profits for the fossil fuel industry. Trump’s single term was riddled with attempts to roll back, what he considered, cumbersome environmental regulations, some that had existed for decades. He appointed oil and coal lobbyists to the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Interior, who would champion the expansion of oil pipelines throughout our federal lands. The work to clean up his mess is far from over. Here is an update on three highly controversial oil pipeline projects made possible by the Trump administration.
# 4 Fishing Boat Dispatch
Brief #4—Fishing Boat Dispatch
By Katherine Cart
On trawl vessels targeting demersal fish in the North Pacific there is always a government contracted worker – usually a recent college graduate – whose job it is to monitor fishing practices. The Observer’s duties include sampling netted fish for biodiversity, collecting otoliths, sex, length and maturity data, and among many other oddities, standing on deck while a writhing codend[1] the size of a school bus is hauled up the stern ramp. The codend is dumped into the trawl alley; fish flood, flapping dimly, shocked to be, so suddenly, in alien air.
The Biden Agenda for Women Series Part 3: Helping Women Navigate Work & Family
Brief #101—Gender and Policy
By Erin Mcnemar
In President Joe Biden’s policy proposal, “The Biden Agenda for Women,” he highlights how women have been disproportionately impacted in a number of sectors. Biden explains in the United States women are typically the ones that end up having the responsibility of taking care of their families. While that alone can be a large task, typically only one in six American workers qualify for paid family leave. Additionally, Black and Latina individuals are even less likely to qualify according to Biden.
Trump’s Final Attempts at a Border Wall
Brief #111 – Immigration
By Kathryn Baron
Trump’s Final Attempts at a Border Wall
December 15,2020
Policy Summary
President Trump has barely kept his campaign promise of building a wall along the US Southern Border but has successfully constructed 415 miles of border wall. The Administration is expected to reach 450 miles by the end of the year, working at insane speeds. Allegedly, an illegal dirt road was built to speed up the operation and prevent any disruption in the flow of construction.
Additionally, two whistleblowers accused contractors building Trump’s border wall of smuggling armed Mexican security teams into the US to guard construction sites as Trump attempts to finish his border wall before leaving office.
Analysis
The motive behind building this wall remains to deter drug traffickers, human smugglers, and criminal organizations despite proven statistics showing a substantial amount of drugs trafficked into the US are through legal ports of entry. This frantic effort to make “good” on the Trump Administration’s principal promise is a desperate attempt to cling to its xenophobic values and maintain the support of Trump’s bigoted support base.
Engagement Resources
- The National Immigration Law Center: an organization that exclusively dedicates itself to defending and furthering the rights of low income immigrants and strives to educate decision makers on the impacts and effects of their policies on this overlooked part of the population.
- Border Network for Human Rights: network to engage education, organization and participation of border communities to defend human rights and work towards a society where everyone is equal in rights and dignity.
- The ACLU: a non-profit with a longstanding commitment to preserving and protecting the individual rights and liberties the Constitution and US laws guarantee all its citizens. You can also donate monthly to counter Trump’s attacks on people’s rights. Recently, the ACLU has filed a lawsuit challenging the separation of families at the border.
- Center for Disease Control: the CDC provides updated information surrounding COVID-19 and the US responses
Victory for Dreamers Amidst Presidential Turnover
December 15, 2020
Policy Summary
Following Brief #108, a Federal Judge recently ordered the Trump Administration to fully restore DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). The Administration is supposed to allow newly eligible immigrants to file new applications for protections under DACA and reverse the memorandum issued unlawfully by Chad Wolf earlier in the summer. As many as 300,000 new applicants might now be eligible in light of the newest ruling. The Judge also asserted the government must find a way to inform all eligible immigrants of this change.
Analysis
This ruling poses a significant legal setback to President Trump’s long-standing attempts to terminate the Obama-era program. If the order still stands by the time Joe Biden takes office, it will be easier for him to reinstate DACA, as he has promised in his campaign.
Engagement Resources
- The National Immigration Law Center: an organization that exclusively dedicates itself to defending and furthering the rights of low income immigrants and strives to educate decision makers on the impacts and effects of their policies on this overlooked part of the population.
- Border Network for Human Rights: network to engage education, organization and participation of border communities to defend human rights and work towards a society where everyone is equal in rights and dignity.
- The ACLU: a non-profit with a longstanding commitment to preserving and protecting the individual rights and liberties the Constitution and US laws guarantee all its citizens. You can also donate monthly to counter Trump’s attacks on people’s rights. Recently, the ACLU has filed a lawsuit challenging the separation of families at the border.
- Center for Disease Control: the CDC provides updated information surrounding COVID-19 and the US responses
The Stars Aligned to Enable a Biden Presidency
An extraordinary set of events, circumstances and people came together at the right time to enable Joe Biden to become the 46th President of the United States. This Editorial is a shout-out to those who made Biden’s election possible, including.
Joe Biden himself, a dark horse candidate who towards the end-of-the-race came from near last place, got a great endorsement, and with the wind at his back went on to capture the Democratic Party’s nomination. Biden succeeded in identifying himself more with basic character issues ( empathy, honesty, integrity ) than with specific policy ideas and that enabled him to appeal to a broad group of voters from both parties.
Jim Clyburn, Congressmen from South Carolina, whose last minute endorsement enabled Biden to capture the South Carolina primary, and gain momentum first from African American voters, and then from others, that carried him to victory in almost all of the remaining Democratic primary contests.
The Other Democratic presidential candidates ( Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Beto O’Rourke Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren) who put their differences aside and endorsed the Biden candidacy once it was become clear that Biden had enough delegates to win the nomination. The other candidates recognized that defeating Trump was the paramount election issue, and that required a unified party.
Christopher Krebs, the former Director of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Project (CSIS) in the Department of Homeland Security, who worked tirelessly to help states set up voting systems that could not readily be hacked and withstand rigorous recounts.
Stacey Abrams (Georgia) , Cindy McCain (Arizona), Gretchen Whitmer (Michigan) and other swing-state leaders who endorsed Biden’s candidacy and worked tirelessly to get out the vote in their states.
Trump himself who refused to lead the country, and ran a terrible campaign focused on voter suppression, conspiracy theories, lies about himself and fear mongering about lawlessness in US cities that didn’t exist.
There also were important political and socio-economic factors that helped Biden win, including huge voter turnout, the highest in 120 years; the worsening pandemic and the economic downturn that many voters saw caused by Trump administration mismanagement.
It is not easy to vote a sitting President out-of-office. Lots of events need to happen at the right time, and the right people need to do the right things. Although we at U.S. RESIST NEWS are not in the astrology business we wouldn’t be surprised to see an astrological chart of how the political stars aligned over our country on November 4th to enable a Biden Presidency. Thank God.
Congress at Impasse as Situation Worsens for Millions of Americans
Brief #100
Congress at Impasse as Situation Worsens for Millions of Americans
Stimulus; Unemployment; Evictions
Rosalind Gottfried
Economics
December 9, , 2020
Policy
As winter recess approaches the Congress remains at an impasse regarding a new stimulus package which is likely to fall by the wayside as it turns its attention to passing legislation to avert a December 11th federal shutdown. While the government deals with its own malfunctions, economic trends point to multiple trends suggesting a downward spiral. Job creation, which showed a tepid 245,000 increase in November, was down from an average of 1.9 million in the summer and earlier fall months. Without a renewed stimulus, 12 million jobless Americans will run out of unemployment benefits on December 31st and an estimated 6.7 million will face eviction as moratoriums end.
The economic recovery is slowing and expected to stall, or worsen, until a vaccine is widely available. Some signs of the worsening affects can be seen in mid-November data, before the latest surge from the Thanksgiving holiday was felt. The week ending November 21st saw hotel occupancy at 40%, down from 50% a few weeks earlier. In the same week, consumer spending was down 5%, and more small businesses have closed, whether temporarily or permanently is not yet known. While the government stimulus stalls, and Congress bickers over how to avoid a shutdown, the most vulnerable Americans will suffer the consequences of what promises to be a bleak winter.
Analysis
There are two plans floating in the government, neither of which promises to bring necessary relief to millions of un- and underemployed workers or to state and local governments. There is a 908 billion dollar bipartisan Congressional plan, versus a 916 billion dollar Trump plan, neither approaching the two trillion plus plan initially favored by Congressional Democrats when the first CARES package expired. Putting money in the pockets of Americans is a necessity and none of the proposals support another $1200 check; they range from zero, in the bipartisan Congressional plan to $600 in Trump’s plan, though that plan would slash unemployment benefits in the Congressional plan. Bernie Sanders has stated that 1 in 4 Americans is out of work or making less than $20,000 a year. This gives pause to a statement made by a Bloomberg economist that the economic pull back will “tip the economy into a modest contraction early next year;” A significant part of the population will face a dramatic situation. The Democrats and Republicans are especially split on the issue of aid to state and local governments, which face substantial layoffs. McConnell seems to be a major obstacle to getting the latest bipartisan Congressional bill passed, saying he wants to include coronavirus corporate liability protections for corporations and drop state and local aid provisions. Biden has pledged to move quickly to bring a stimulus to the first days of his administration, even if it means sacrificing some of the Democrats goals, such as aid for the states. Biden, and secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellin, will start out in crisis mode.
Lear More References
https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/recovery-tracker/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/second-stimulus-check-hopes-update-2020-12-08/
Engagement Resources
https://nlihc.org/rental-assistance National low income rental assistance site
For food assistance and cash assistance, please check local listings or contact https://www.crisistextline.org/ and they will assist you in accessing local resources..
Trump, Pressured to Reject Mining Permit in Alaska, Races to Sell Drilling Leases in the Arctic
Brief # 100; Environment Policy
Trump, Pressured to Reject Mining Permit in Alaska, Races to Sell Drilling Leases in the Arctic
By Jacob Morton
12/7/2020
Policy
Since the beginning of his presidency, Donald Trump has had his eye on Alaska, hoping to expand extraction of its rich mineral and fossil fuel deposits. While in office, Trump has overturned Obama era limitations on mining activities in the Bristol Bay Region of Alaska and has pushed for increased oil and gas drilling in the Arctic refuge on Alaska’s northeastern coastal plain. In the summer of 2019, despite overwhelming public opposition and allegations of flawed scientific analysis, the Trump administration revived the notorious Pebble Mine project in Alaska’s Bristol Bay.
The Pebble Mine Partnership and its mother company Northern Dynasty Minerals have worked for the past thirteen years to secure the necessary permits to extract minerals from one of the world’s largest gold and copper deposits. If mined, the deposit could produce “70 million tons of gold, molybdenum and copper ore a year.” The extraction, however, would leave a pit 600 meters deep in Alaska’s Bristol Bay watershed. The project’s opponents have argued for years that the mine would threaten the “world-class” sockeye salmon fishery of Bristol Bay and put “more than $1 billion of revenue and over 10,000 jobs at risk.”
In 2014, the Obama administration had blocked any advancement of the Pebble Mine project, citing its concerns of Clean Water Act violations and the impact on the sockeye salmon industry, including a 2013 Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment (BBWA) which confirmed that the Pebble Mine could not be operated without impacting the Bristol Bay and harming its salmon population. In 2015, concerns for the welfare of the Bristol Bay Watershed were so strong that the EPA issued a Proposed Determination to permanently limit all mining activities in the region. Polls at the time showed that 89.5% of the country was in support of establishing strong protections for Bristol Bay.
As previously reported by U.S. Resist News, the Trump administration has since thrown out the Obama era Proposed Determination, ignored claims of a faulty and skewed Environmental Impact Assessment, and has resumed permit processing for the Pebble Mine project despite opposition from environmental groups, First Nation tribal leaders, and members of his own political party. Similarly and as previously reported, while controversy erupted over Bristol Bay and the Pebble Mine project, Donald Trump and a republican controlled congress passed a plan to begin leasing tracts of land in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge along Alaska’s northeastern coastal plain for oil and gas drilling. Until then, this refuge had been protected for nearly six decades.
As 2020 comes to a close, we have all by now learned to expect the unexpected. And with a lame duck president, infamous for breaking norms and ignoring established protocols, recent developments over the past two weeks have proven no exception. In a surprising turn of events, on November 26 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) rejected a Clean Water Act permit required for the development of the Pebble Mine project in Bristol Bay. Upon making its decision, the USACE released a statement explaining that the project’s proposed waste management plan for the displaced rock and other waste materials, “does not comply with Clean Water Act guidelines” and that “the proposed project is contrary to the public interest.” Given that President Elect Joe Biden continues to oppose the mine, this decision by the Army Corps effectively kills any near-future plans for continuing the project.
Meanwhile, the outgoing Trump administration has moved its attention northward, making clear its intentions to solidify the sales of multiple drilling leases in the Arctic refuge before leaving office. On December 3, Trump’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced that the sale of lease agreements will take place on January 6. Typically, before a sale date is officially announced by the BLM, a window of anywhere from 1 to 2 months is reserved for private industry to outline which exact tracts of land they propose to drill in, and for the BLM to review these plans. The agency and the Trump administration cut this window down to 16 days before making the announcement. A traditional timeframe would have produced a sale date just before or just after Joe Biden’s Inauguration day on January 20.
Analysis
Though the rejection of the Pebble Mine project in Bristol Bay was certainly unexpected, its support among republicans had grown more and more mixed. Typically, republicans and Alaska politicians tend to support the expansion of domestic mineral production, but perhaps the threat to the sockeye salmon industry, as well as world renowned sportfishing and hunting grounds posed too great a concern. According to Politico, “President Donald Trump faced a public pressure campaign from Republicans, including mega-donor Andy Sabin, Bass Pro Shops CEO Johnny Morris, Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson and his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., to block the project.” Alaska senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) both joined the opposition after secretly recorded tapes were released this summer “featuring the then-CEO of the Pebble Limited Partnership, Tom Collier, boasting about how he would influence Alaskan politicians to ultimately support the project,” and that the company was planning a mine much larger than they had requested a permit for.
Alaskan congressman Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) disagrees with the rejection. He believes the issue is one of state’s rights and says he is “disappointed that the federal government gets to decide before Alaskans do.” Young argues, “Now there must be a consideration of how the federal government will compensate the State for the loss of economic potential. The proposed mine has always been subject to political intrigue and the whims of outsiders who simply do not understand our state.” John Shively, CEO of Pebble Limited Partnership said the company is “dismayed” at the rejection and has vowed to appeal the decision. Shively argues that the company has worked hard to meet the requirements of the Army Corps, and says, “It is very disconcerting to see political influence in this process at the eleventh hour.”
Opponents of the project, however, are relieved by the decision after over a decade of uncertainty. Nanci Morris Lyon, owner of Bear Trail Lodge in King Salmon, Bristol Bay says, “It is an incredible relief. I felt like sitting down and just crying for a while.” For many Bristol Bay locals, “the prospect of the mine has held the whole region hostage for years. Lodge owners like [Lyon] didn’t know if they could invest in their businesses.” Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate natural resources committee, says he is “pleased” by the decision. Manchin said in a statement, “I understand the important role mining plays in our economy, but the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the project did not come near close enough to assuring me this world-class sockeye salmon fishery, which generates $1.5 billion each year and supports 14,000 jobs, would be protected.” The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and The United Tribes of Bristol Bay, representing 15 area tribal governments, have said they would seek permanent protections for the area.
Northward, however, in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, drilling leases are being prepared for sale. The American Petroleum Institute praised the Trump administration’s push to expand drilling in the area, claiming “it would provide jobs and add to Alaska’s revenue, which has been suffering as oil production on the North Slope has declined over the years.” Many Alaskan politicians also support opening the refuge to drilling. Environmental groups feel differently. According to Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, “This is a shameful attempt by Donald Trump to give one last handout to the fossil fuel industry on his way out the door, at the expense of our public lands and our climate.”
Despite the support however, it is unclear what level of interest oil companies have for the area. The cost of drilling in the Arctic is much greater than in other states such as Texas, and for many companies, the risk to their reputation may not be worth the hassle. According to the New York Times, “Most experts say it would be at least a decade or longer before any oil or gas was extracted from the refuge. By then, the drive to reduce worldwide fossil fuel use may mean there is little or no market for the oil.” Many major banks have already said they will not lend money to companies for drilling in the refuge.
For companies that do choose to explore the area, it is uncertain how much oil they will find. The most recent exploratory well was drilled in the ‘80’s, with “disappointing” results. In 2017, the Trump administration claimed a potential of $1.8 billion in revenue for the government over a decade of drilling. However, recent independent analyses, “Based on similar sales in Alaska over the past several decades,” have found “potential revenue over the next decade would likely be in the range of tens of millions of dollars,” significantly lower than the original estimate. Adam Kolton, executive director of the Alaska Wilderness League, says, “We will need [Joe Biden] to use all the tools at his disposal to stop the industrialization of this iconic national treasure.”
Engagement Resources
Alaska Wilderness League
- The Alaska Wilderness League (AWL) is a nonprofit organization that works to protect Alaska’s most significant wild lands from oil and gas drilling and from other industrial threats. The Alaska Wilderness League galvanizes support to secure vital policies that protect and defend America’s last great wild public lands and waters. https://www.alaskawild.org/
National Resources Defense Council
- Works to safeguard the earth – its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. Combining the power of more than three million members and online activists with the expertise of some 700 scientists, lawyers, and policy advocates across the globe to ensure the rights of all people to the air, the water, and the wild. https://www.nrdc.org/
United Tribes of Bristol Bay
- United Tribes of Bristol Bay (UTBB) is a tribal consortium working to protect the traditional Yup’ik, Dena’ina, and Alutiiq ways of life in Bristol Bay that depend on the sustainable harvest of our watershed’s renewable resources, most notably Bristol Bay’s wild salmon. http://www.utbb.org/
References
Adragna, A., & Snider, A. (2020, November 26). Trump administration rejects massive Alaska mining project. Retrieved December 06, 2020, from https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/25/trump-administration-alaska-mining-project-440626
Fountain, H. (2020, December 03). Sale of Arctic Refuge Oil and Gas Leases Is Set for Early January. Retrieved December 06, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/03/climate/arctic-refuge-lease-sales.html?utm_campaign=Hot+News
Lewis, J., & Rosen, Y. (2020, November 25). U.S. rejects permit for Alaska’s Pebble mine, company vows appeal. Retrieved December 06, 2020, from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-alaska-pebblemine-idUSKBN2852XM
Ruskin, L. (2020, November 25). Trump Administration Rejects Pebble Mine Project in Alaska. Retrieved December 06, 2020, from https://www.npr.org/2020/11/25/939002676/trump-administration-rejects-pebble-mine-project-in-alaska
Young, D. (2020, November 25). Congressman Don Young Issues Statement Following U.S. Army Corps Decision to Deny Permit to Pebble Mine. Retrieved December 06, 2020, from https://donyoung.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401842
Amazon’s Troubling Worker Surveillance Practices
Technology Brief #27
Amazon’s Troubling Worker Surveillance Practices
By Scout Burchill
December 6, 2020
Summary:
Over the past few months a number of reports and leaks from Amazon have emerged that expose the shocking lengths that the corporation goes to surveil their workers and quell labor organizing efforts. Although Amazon has a history of dangerous working conditions in their warehouses and has taken aggressive actions against unionization attempts in the past, these recent reports shed light on some of the more insidious tactics used by the mega conglomerate.
Back in April, a report from Business Insider revealed how Amazon uses heat maps to track unionization threats at Whole Foods Markets across the country. According to the report, a number of different metrics are quantified and used to measure each store’s unionization risk. These metrics include the racial and financial demographics of the area, employee wages, a store’s proximity to a union headquarters, average store sales, the number alleged of labor law violations, and employee sentiments among other things.
In early September, it was discovered that Amazon had posted two job openings for “Intelligence Analysts” whose responsibilities included the monitoring and tracking of labor organizing threats, activists groups and hostile politicians. After criticism from media outlets and journalists, Amazon removed the two postings.
Most recently, a leak of internal Amazon documents obtained by Vice’s Motherboard has revealed even more details about the extensive surveillance operations Amazon utilizes to combat activists and labor organization threats. The documents detail how Amazon closely tracks union-organizing activity throughout Europe as well as environmental and social justice groups, including Greta Thunberg’s “Fridays for Future” organization, by collecting data from Facebook and other social media sites. Additionally, these documents also detail how Amazon works with notorious Pinkerton agents to spy on workers and infiltrate strikes at warehouses in Europe.
Finally, the Open Markets Institute recently published a report outlining the extent that Amazon goes to surveil, track and monitor its employees, which include wristband monitors, navigation software, scanners, thermal cameras and security cameras equipped with artificial intelligence. The report vividly illustrates how Amazon’s surveillance techniques cause substantial harm to the physical and psychological health of employees and enables Amazon to deter workers from organizing or unionizing.
Analysis:
While Amazon’s troubling treatment of its blue collar workers and antipathy towards unionization has long been known, it appears that recently these harmful practices have begun to weigh a bit too heavily on the consciences of some of the higher ups in the company. The COVID-19 pandemic just might have been the tipping point.
Back in late March, at the onset of the pandemic, an employee at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island by the name of Chris Smalls organized a walk out over the lack of coronavirus precautions and protections. Shortly after, Smalls was fired by Amazon for violating social distancing guidelines. According to Amazon, Smalls violated COVID protocols by returning to work after being exposed to a co-worker who tested positive. Smalls, of course, disputes this account. A few days after, leaked notes from an internal meeting attended by Jeff Bezos revealed a coordinated plan to smear Chris Smalls, calling him “not smart or articulate.” Smalls has since gone on to continue fighting for workers’ rights by forming The Congress of Essential Workers, an organization that aims to improve the working conditions and lives of essential workers.
These events, along with others, seem to have been a bit too much for some of Amazon’s white collar workers. Most notably, on May 1st Tim Bray, a distinguished senior software engineer at Amazon, quit after five years at the company over Amazon’s decision to fire employees who criticized the company’s treatment of workers during the pandemic as well as whistleblowers on the frontlines like Chris Smalls. Bray’s resignation may have motivated others within the company to speak out, as a steady trove of leaked internal documents have emerged since then that offer glimpses into Amazon’s battlefield tactics aimed at combating organized labor.
The Open Markets Institute’s report illustrates in startling detail the aggressive surveillance techniques employed at Amazon warehouses that harm the physical and mental health of employees. From the moment workers enter the warehouse, their every move is carefully tracked by a number of metrics and the vast surveillance infrastructure is designed to carefully control and monitor the productivity and behavior of each worker. Not only does the surveillance allow the company to squeeze every ounce of productivity out of its workers, it enables Amazon to deter workers from unionizing and allows them to fire workers easily by relying on a number of metrics collected on each worker.
There are many harrowing stories to be found online detailing the working conditions at Amazon warehouses. The work is uniquely demanding, as well, as it involves miles of walking to retrieve orders. The more one learns about the grueling nature of the job, the harder it is to not see the Orwellien irony of some of these conditions being found in massive warehouses called ‘fulfillment centers.’
A big reason why this story is so important right now is because we are still in the middle of a raging pandemic and Amazon keeps getting bigger. Last week, the New York Times reported that Amazon added a staggering 427,300 new employees to its workforce between the months of January and October. According to the article, that averages out to around 1,400 new employees a day and represents a hiring binge unrivaled in the history of corporate America. At the same time many small and local businesses are shutting down and shedding workers. The most recent job reports indicate a stalling economy still rife with high levels of unemployment and Congress continues to show few signs of rising to meet the moment.
For perspective, Amazon now employs a total workforce close to the entire population of Dallas, Texas. The company’s revenues, which topped off at $280 billion in 2019, are greater than the GDP of countries like Greece, Chile, Finland and Vietnam. It operates like its own nation-state and to push the comparison further, it also seems to have its own NSA, designed to surveil and monitor its workforce. It shouldn’t be much of a surprise then that General Keith Alexander, former head of the NSA who lied to Congress about the agency’s mass phone surveillance system of American citizens, just recently joined Amazon’s board of directors.
There are countless angles from which one could criticize Amazon’s monopolistic and harmful business practices , but it seems even white collar employees are disturbed by the treatment of Amazon’s blue collar workers who have been forced into becoming frontline, essential workers during the pandemic. While workplace surveillance is nothing new, Amazon takes it to new levels, revealing what we are all up against in this new age of corporate power.
While dealing with the pandemic will rightly be the incoming Biden administration’s number one priority, the long-term effects of the pandemic will be felt acutely throughout the labor market for years to come. Taking on corporate power and ensuring workers have the right to organize and demand better treatment should be an essential aspect of ameliorating the effects of the pandemic, restoring democratic and economic rights to citizens and building America back better. In the meantime, make sure to shop local this holiday season and support independent, small businesses.
Engagement Resources
Here is a link to some ethical alternatives to shopping on Amazon this holiday season:
https://threshold.us/c/cancelprime/amazon-alternatives#giving-up-amazon
Sources:
Business Insider Article on Heat Maps at Whole Foods Markets:
https://www.businessinsider.com/whole-foods-tracks-unionization-risk-with-heat-map-2020-1
Same report from the Verge (BI has a paywall):
https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/20/21228324/amazon-whole-foods-unionization-heat-map-union
Chris Smalls Incident:
The Congress of Essential Workers:
Amazon’s Surveillance of Labor and Environmental Groups:
Open Markets Institute Report:
Amazon’s Intelligence Analyst Job Postings:
Amazon’s Hiring Spree:
Tim Bray’s resignation post:
https://www.tbray.org/ongoing/When/202x/2020/04/29/Leaving-Amazon#p-3
Stories on the working conditions at warehouses:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/amazon-the-shocking-911-calls-from-inside-its-warehouses
Amazon Corporate Propaganda Pushed on Local News Stations:
https://couriernewsroom.com/2020/05/26/11-local-tv-stations-that-pushed-amazon-scripted-segment/
The Assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh
Brief # 100 Foreign Policy
The Assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh
By Will Solomon
December 8,2020
Policy Summary:
On November 27, leading Iranian nuclear scientist and IRGC General Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated in the city of Absard, outside Tehran. Details of the assassination are not entirely clear, but the act was almost certainly carried out by Israel, likely with US (and possibly Saudi) foreknowledge. The killing itself may have been done by remote-controlled device. This is the latest, and most high-profile, in a years-long string of assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists.
While Iran has not, as of this writing, militarily retaliated, that may well change. The immediate response in Iran has been to further weaken the “moderate” position in the country; the Iranian Parliament voted shortly after the attack to suspend cooperation with IAEA inspectors unless sanctions are lifted. The medium and longer-term effects of this assassination remain to be seen.
Analysis:
While perhaps not quite as brazen as the January murder of Iranian General Qassem Suleimani, this latest killing marks a serious escalation of the diplomatic and low-level hot war between Iran (and its regional allies), and the United States, Israel, and the Saudi Gulf monarchies. It is almost certain that an act this inflammatory would not be carried out without US assent, and there is speculation that such assent was given during Pompeo’s recent visit to the region, which occurred just before the attack.
Fakhrizadeh’s assassination serves several overlapping purposes. Clearly, the attack is functionally an effort to destabilize potential diplomacy—or detente—with Iran as a new administration appears to be coming into power in the United States. Iran’s moderates will be increasingly marginalized as calls for retaliation and hostility toward the West grow. Given the brutal American treatment of Iran over the last four years—and frankly, much longer—such a response can hardly be unexpected.
On some level, the assassination was done simply because its perpetrators perceived an opportunity. If indeed carried out by Israel, the decision may have been made with the expectation that a Biden administration might withdraw some of the carte blanche/anything goes provided by the Trump administration. (Whether that is correct is up for debate). But Israel has consistently acted with a high degree of impunity towards Iran and others, with the US providing cover, and this particular act fits the pattern. In any event, the Israelis are certainly aware that the Iranians are already quite marginalized in the region—in other words, Iran has few good options for retaliation.
In the event diplomacy still remains possible, Biden must take concrete steps towards pursuing serious de-escalation with Iran. This would mean offering concessions, above all the removal of sanctions, a step which is more than warranted, given the United States’ reneging on the 2015 JCPOA.
While Trump and his administration have consistently demonstrated extreme hawkishness towards Iran, Biden and his advisors are no doves, and there remains a strong bipartisan current in this country for military action—or something very close to it—against Iran. Assuming they come into power, Biden and his administration must be pressured to avoid a militaristic approach and pursue meaningful diplomacy with Iran.
Engagement Resources:
https://aboutfaceveterans.org — “We are Post-9/11 service members and veterans organizing to end a foreign policy of permanent war and the use of military weapons, tactics, and values in communities across the country.”
https://ploughshares.org — “For over 39 years Ploughshares Fund has supported the most effective people and organizations in the world to reduce and eventually eliminate the dangers posed by nuclear weapons.”
https://livableworld.org — “The Council for a Livable World promotes policies to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons and to minimize the risk of war through lobbying and by helping elect and support Members of Congress who share our goals. For more than 50 years, the Council for a Livable World has been advocating for a more principled approach to U.S. national security and foreign policy.”
Georgia Senate Race 1
Brief # 12 Congressional Campaign Update
Georgia Senate Race 1
By William Borque
November 2,2020
Congressional Campaign Updates is an exclusive feature of U.S. RESIST NEWS. Written by reporter William Bourque. The updates will help our readers follow key races in the House and Senate that are key to the ability of democrats to gain control of both houses of Congress.
Reporter William Bourque is U.S. Resist News’s elections correspondent and has had continued coverage of US Elections through election day. We will continue to have coverage of the Senate races in Georgia as control of the Senate remains in the balance.
In Georgia, the battle for the United States Senate rages on, with both races going to a runoff in January. In one race, incumbent David Perdue seems to be faltering and may end up falling to challenger Jon Ossoff, who has been campaigning hard while Perdue seems nowhere to be found. The other race pits another Republican incumbent, Senator Kelly Loeffler, against democratic challenger Raphael Warnock. In Georgia, a runoff election is triggered when none of the candidates for a race hit 50% of the votes. In Ossoff and Perdue’s case, the race was incredibly close in the general election, with Perdue garnering just under 50%, with 49.7%, according to the Associated Press.
Despite this, however, it seems as though Ossoff has the advantage going into the runoff, with Perdue refusing to appear on a debate stage with Ossoff over allegations of insider trading and misuse of power. Additionally, with Georgia flipping to blue in this Presidential election, it seems as though Ossoff has the clearer path to election. Of course, Perdue had a lead of about 90,000 votes, which is no small margin to overcome. However, with the effectiveness of Stacey Abrams’ voter registration campaigns in Georgia it doesn’t seem out of the question that even more voters will be registered for this election. Registration for voters not previously registered ended on December 7th, and early voting will begin the 14th. We don’t see it being out of the question for Ossoff to be able to flip this seat
In the Loeffler race, Reverend Warnock seems to have even more of an uphill battle to overcome, as the main reason that Loeffler didn’t hit the 50% margin was because she faced another Republican, Doug Collins, in addition to Warnock. It is worth noting that Warnock also faced several other democrats, which certainly took away from his vote totals. Loeffler has been more civil than her Republican counterpart Perdue, as she has at least appeared on a debate stage opposite Warnock, albeit hurling insults left and right. Warnock has mostly campaigned on his promises to lead criminal justice reform and climate reform through the Senate. Of course, if both Warnock and Ossoff manage to pull off victories then Congress will be controlled by the Democrats. This has been one of the main pleas that the Loeffler and Perdue campaigns have been campaigning on and it is bound to be a close race.
U.S. Resist News will have continuing coverage of the Georgia Senate races as runoff day approaches.
Supreme Court Sides with Religious Groups Over COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies
Policy
The US Supreme Court upheld challenges from New York Churches and synagogues to state pandemic restrictions on religious services just before Thanksgiving. This 5-4 ruling comes after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo enacted an executive order on pandemic safety measures that applied to houses of worship in early October. This rule created graded color zones, classifying COVID-19 risks, and applying restrictions to those zones. For example, houses of worship in red zones are limited to 10 people in attendance, and in orange zones, the cap is set at 25 people. The Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, among others, asked the Supreme Court to block the restrictions on houses of worship, claiming the rules unfairly target religion, as other establishments had different or no caps for capacity.
Analysis
While this official ruling is a win for religious groups, Governor Cuomo had already lifted the restrictions amid criticisms. Supporters of Cuomo’s decision cite the growing COVID-19 cases, the multiple cases of mass infections because of large religious gatherings, and the traditional aspects of religious services (i.e., gathering inside, large gatherings of people, singing and shouting) as strong reasons to limit religious services. Opponents criticize the move as an infringement on religious freedom and an overreach of power. As forementioned, the executive action was already lifted, but the Supreme Court found this case worthy of hearing and ruling on to prevent future infringements on religious rights during the ongoing pandemic.
An important question that has come from this executive order is where do we place religious services, in essential or nonessential services? The order places restrictions on essential businesses and different restrictions on nonessential ones, while placing harsher restrictions on religious institutions. Such actions support the Diocese’s argument that religious institutions are not being treated fairly. Circling back to the initial question, it is imperative to establish where religious institutions fall. Once that is determined, it will be easier to implement fair restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Nevertheless, amid a global pandemic, restrictions are key to preserving public health.
Lawyers for the Church argued that spacious houses of worship are capable of social distancing and an hour-long mass is safer than a typical trip to the grocery store or working a 9-5 in the workplace; Therefore, these restrictions are aggressive, targeting, and unnecessary, and houses of worship should be given the opportunity to operate as other establishments.
Given the rising cases and hospitalizations, all restrictions should be considered to mitigate COVID-19. Without an order like the one enforced by Cuomo it is likely that gatherings for religious services will continue to contribute to the spread of COVID-19.
Engagement Resources:
For concerns about COVID-19, please seek assistance with the Center for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, or local health officials.
Subscribe HERE to stay up to date with COVID-19
Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo Decision Hints At Future of Religious Liberty Cases In Supreme Court
Policy Summary: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic Governor Andrew Cuomo of the State of New York enacted regulations that allowed him to identify “hot spots” of COVID-19 activity and to designate areas according to a color – coded scheme. Each colored zone would correspond to a level of restrictions that were designed to limit the number of persons in a gathering, among other restrictions, due to COVID-19. Red zones have the strictest restrictions on the gathering of people and operations of commercial businesses. Areas classified as orange would be areas immediately surrounding red zones and have a less limited tier of restrictions. And yellow zones would be the outlying areas of red zones and have the least strict restrictions.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and Agudath Israel of America brought a lawsuit in Federal District Court arguing that the limitations of 10 people in red zones and 25 people in yellow zones for houses of worship were violations of the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause and asked for a preliminary injunction against the State from enforcing these COVID-19 based restrictions. The Federal District Court ruled against the houses of worship and the case was appealed to the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit which denied the petitioners request to issue an injunction. The case was appealed to the Supreme Court which issued an unsigned majority opinion issuing an injunction against the State of New York from enforcing the maximum persons regulations. While the majority opinion was unsigned six written opinions total were issued from the case (the majority opinion, three concurring plus two dissenting opinions). LEARN MORE
Policy Analysis: While this case was technically a procedural case which was to decide whether a temporary injunction should be issued, the discussion of religious freedom and liberties emerged front and center and it revealed how cases on religion in the future might go at the High Court.
The dissenting opinion penned by Justice Stephen Breyer emphasizes forcefully that the deadly nature of COVID-19, the current spike in infections and the uncertainty caused by this pandemic are serious health considerations that needed immediate attention which in turn led to the color – coded regulations imposed by Governor Cuomo. This was not an assault on the Constitution or First Amendment rights as Justice Gorsuch implied but an attempt to save as many lives as possible which Chief Justice Roberts recognized when he said his dissenting colleagues “simply view the matter differently after careful study and analysis reflecting their best efforts to fulfill their responsibility under the Constitution.”
Yet the concurring opinions of Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh signal an approach to First Amendment religion cases that could be troubling down the road. Both Justices view the free exercise of religion as a highly cherished right, as well they should, but they also showed they are reluctant to side against religion even if the exercise of religion might lead to harm to outside third parties. If they are unwilling to uphold limited restrictions and limitations to save human lives in this case then it seems likely that they will side with religion again in highly contested freedom of religion cases. Objections to act or perform duties based on religious beliefs have been used in cases to deny marriage licenses to gay couples, to deny health care services to patients, to discriminate against foster parents and potential adoptions and to even deny contraception in health insurance benefits. If a deadly virus is not enough to convince justices that limited restrictions and limitations are necessary in a situation in New York than it seems likely that these justices will mostly favor religion when it comes to the religious freedom vs. do not harm third parties debate. With this case, that seems like the direction the Supreme Court will be headed especially with a new conservative and deeply religious justice – Amy Coney Barrett – recently installed. LEARN MORE, LEARN MORE
Engagement Resources:
- Americans United for Separation of Church and State – press release on Supreme Court NY case.
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) – blog post on issues of faith based discrimination.
This brief was compiled by Rod Maggay. If you have comments or want to add the name of your organization to this brief, please contact Rod@USResistnews.org.