RSN: Marc Ash | Reload

24 November 19

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To the People Who Are Donating Now: Thank You!

Just want to take a moment to give a special shout out to the people who are responding to the donation appeals for this drive.

When it’s tough sledding the people who step up are the backbone of the organization.

This is one tough fundraising drive, make no mistake about it. But 252 people so far have said Reader Supported News is worth my time and my contribution.

That is inspiring.

Marc Ash
Founder, Reader Supported News

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24 November 19 It's Live on the HomePage Now: Reader Supported News FOLKS YOU GOTTA HELP WITH THE FUNDRAISER - “Reader Supported News” does not, cannot exist without Reader Support. It becomes an oxymoron. Worse it becomes someone else’s pet. This thing you love, that you trust is something funded by you. That’s why it works for you day-in-and-day-out. Please chip in. / Marc Ash, Founder Reader Supported News Sure, I'll make a donation! RSN: Marc Ash | Reload Marc Ash, Reader Supported News Ash writes: "The battle to turn back Donald Trump's assault on the United States Constitution and the republic it empowers is a battle that must be fought and must be won. Now." The impeachment witness testimonies thus far have been historic and riveting. While not many Trump supporters are saying right now that they are abandoning him, they all say they are watching. It’s a small but crucial victory. Trump supporters, while not particularly well-educated typically, are undoubtedly of sufficient intelligence and social awareness to comprehend the enormity of what they watched the witnesses say, even if the won’t yet admit it. It was stark, unequivocal, and unanimous. Every witness said: Trump used his power as president to “pressure” Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to announce an investigation into American presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden, and withheld vitally-needed military aid to do it. Every witness, Republican and Democrat alike, knew it and said it directly under oath, on national television. From that Trump’s base can run, but they cannot hide. Up until now, Trump’s supporters have chosen to stick with him because, although they are well aware of his lawlessness, it was more politically convenient to do so than to abandon him. But everything has its limitations. The Democrats must have sufficient confidence in themselves and in what they heard the witnesses say to press the case. This is a big moment. The dam of public support has not yet broken, but it can. It depends on the strength, the vision, and the determination the Democrats and independent-minded Americans who understand the gravity of the situation are able to muster at this moment in history. There are still big shoes that can and likely will drop. Rudy Giuliani is under close examination, and two of his Russian associates are already under indictment for campaign finance violations in connection with Trump and his never-ending reelection campaign. That situation could easily boil over. John Bolton is, for the moment, choosing not to speak for reasons best defined by him. But he too can change at a moment’s notice. There is no time for slipping into disappointment. The Democrats and their independent supporters need to get ready for the next rounds with urgency. Either you defeat Trump or he defeats you. It’s a zero-sum game. There is no middle ground. This time the war is over here. It must be fought and won now. Marc Ash is the founder and former Executive Director of Truthout, and is now founder and Editor of Reader Supported News. Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News. READ MORE Rep. Devin Nunes speaks at the close of the impeachment inquiry of President Trump in Washington, DC on November 21, 2019. (photo: Bonnie Jo Mount/WP) Top House Democrat Says Ethics Probe of Nunes Is Likely Over Meeting With Ukrainian About Bidens Rosalind S. Helderman and Colby Itkowitz, The Washington Post Excerpt: "A high-ranking House Democrat said Saturday it's 'quite likely' Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) will face an ethics investigation over allegations that he met with an ex-Ukrainian official to obtain information about former vice president Joe Biden and his son." READ MORE Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before the House Financial Services Committee on Oct. 23, 2019. (photo: Aurora Samperio) Facebook Built a Facial-Recognition App That Let Employees Identify People by Pointing a Phone at Them Rob Price, Business Insider Price writes: "Facebook once built an internal facial-recognition app that allowed employees to identify people by pointing their phone cameras at them." READ MORE Prince Andrew. (photo: Lillian Suwanrumpha) FBI Readies Plan to Interview Prince Andrew, as Unedited Version of That Photo Emerges Tom Sykes and Tim Teeman, The Daily Beast Excerpt: "Speculation that American law-enforcement operatives would come knocking at Andrew's door has been rife all week, but now The Sunday Times says U.S. detectives are 'examining ways to interview the prince in Britain through the U.S. justice department, which oversees the FBI.'" READ MORE A health care facility in Appalachia. (photo: Mason Adams/Getty Images) $44,000 for an Ambulance, Hour-Long Drives to an ER: The Impossible Cost of Healthcare in Appalachia Mason Adams, In These Times Adams writes: "For the residents of rural Appalachia, long drives for emergency care are often a matter of life and death." READ MORE Two former employees of Twitter are charged with spying for Saudi Arabia by accessing information in private accounts. (photo: Mike Blake/) Twitter's Saudi Spy Network Leaves Activists Living in Fear Dania Akkad, The Middle East Eye Akkad writes: "Saudi activists fear they are among thousands of Twitter users whose data is thought to have been obtained by the Saudi government via spies inside the social media giant." READ MORE Berta Cáceres, an environmental activist and indigenous leader, was murdered in 2016 after protesting dam development in Honduras. (photo: Eduardo Verdugo/AP) They've Managed the Forest Forever. It's Why They're Key to the Climate Change Fight Julia Rosen, The Lost Angeles Times Rosen writes: "The first time Mandy Gull visited Canada's Broadback Forest, she was struck by the displays of delicate lichen. By the dense, ancient trees. By the moss-covered floor, which rose and fell like a rumpled green blanket." READ MORE Contribute to RSN Update My Monthly Donation