Skip to content

Tag: Democracy

On Resistance To Trump, Gun Rights, And Hyper-Local Organizing (Black Tower Radio Interview)

Posted in Audio, and Journalism

Trump is dismantling American democracy at a startling pace, but the American populace is also protesting in a way rarely seen in generations. Millions came out to support the Women’s March, and thousands mobilized to support refugees at airports.

Yet it’s understandable when experienced activists feel frustrated at seeing millions of people protesting issues that have been building for years. As many have observed, Obama deported millions of undocumented immigrants, and many anti-war, pro-human rights liberals seem to only take to the streets when a Republican is in office.

In our discussion on Black Tower Radio, host Jake Fox expressed doubts at the movement building potential of the liberals in the streets, while I expressed hope that we could reach some of these newly activated protesters and turn them into activists willing to work for justice.

Trump’s Fast-Paced Dismantling Of American Democracy & Move To Cement Corporate Totalitarianism

Posted in Journalism, and Lee Camp

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the pace of Donald Trump’s dismantling of American democracy? That’s on purpose. He wants to keep you off balance and exhausted.

Thousands of people stormed the nation’s airports over the weekend, demanding the release of Muslim travelers caught up in Trump’s unconstitutional ban on visitors from certain Middle Eastern countries (except the ones where Trump has business interests).

The airport protesters and the dozens of lawyers who fought to free the detained Muslims are to be applauded for their quick organizing work and their solidarity with the oppressed. But if you think this is unprecedented, you should keep in mind that the U.S. has been bombing innocent Muslims for decades now.

Yet, even as protesters chanted, the newly installed regime was working on multiple fronts to undermine the normal operation of the U.S. government. Unless you’re plugged into Twitter 24/7, it’s impossible to stay up to date, much less effectively fight back.

Unprecedented Legislative Coup Happening Now In North Carolina

Posted in Archive, Journalism, and Lee Camp

Inside the North Carolina House, protesters chanted as police arrested them one by one.

For the second day in a row, the chambers were cleared and the public was banned from viewing a legislative coup in progress.

The North Carolina GOP, facing the defeat of incumbent Gov. Pat McCrory on November 8, are doing everything they can to hold onto power, even if it means literally rewriting state law.

Jill Stein’s Recount Uncovers ‘Economic Extortion’ & Broken Voting Tech

Posted in Archive, Journalism, and MintPress News

Despite numerous obstacles ranging from the financial to the political, Green Party presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein is pushing forward with a controversial recount campaign.

“This is not what democracy looks like,” Stein told MintPress News on Thursday.

“Democracy should be all about transparency and accountability and voter participation. What we see in the recount is exactly the opposite.”

Beginning late last month, Stein agreed to spearhead recount efforts in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, citing irregularities in exit polls in these “swing states” and the persistent — though still unproven — claims that Russians tampered with the election.

A crowdfunding campaign has netted $7.3 million so far, but the campaign is requesting $9.5 million to cover the costs of forcing a recount in each state. Stein called these high fees a form of “economic extortion” that prevents citizens from easily auditing elections.

Recount 2016: Controversy & Media Attacks Follow Jill Stein’s Demand For Electoral Integrity

Posted in Archive, Journalism, and MintPress News

Dr. Jill Stein has been attacked in the mainstream media, threatened with legal action, and even created a divide within her own political party due to her attempts to audit the results of the presidential election.

“I think Jill Stein’s doing the right thing,” said Mark Crispin Miller, a self-described “election integrity activist,” in an interview with MintPress News. “I think it’s extremely difficult to argue for any kind of cynical or self-serving motive in this.”

Miller, a professor of media studies at New York University, has spent much of the last decade studying the results of U.S. elections. In the lead up to Election Day, he told MintPress that electronic voting machines in the United States are dangerously vulnerable to hacking and fraud. Now, he says he hopes recounts will encourage more voters to support election reform.

“Beyond their immediate political effects between now and the next election, what the recounts will do is make clear at long last that we must radically reform our abysmal voting system so that this kind of thing never happens again,” Miller said.

Could US Elections Be Stolen? Election Integrity Activists Say Yes

Posted in Journalism, and MintPress News

Election fraud is a dangerously real possibility in the United States, but Donald Trump is wrong about how elections could be rigged under the current system.

The Republican nominee has warned his supporters that the election could be rigged against him, and there have already been reports of Trump supporters with guns at polling places intimidating voters.

However, Mark Crispin Miller, a self-described “election integrity activist,” dismissed Trump’s claims.

“It’s basically impossible to vote ten times or fifteen times,” said the professor of media studies at New York University who has spent more than a decade studying election results.