December, 15 2016, 03:30pm EDT
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FCC Chairman Wheeler Fought to Defend the Open Internet and Protect the Rights of Consumers
WASHINGTON
On Thursday, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler announced his intention to step down from the federal agency on Jan. 20, 2017, at the end of President Barack Obama's term.
Wheeler was appointed by Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2013. A series of significant and even historic victories for the public marked his tenure, including passing strong Net Neutrality rules, restoring the agency's authority under Title II of the Communications Act, preventing the dangerous merger of Comcast and Time Warner Cable, reforming the Lifeline program, and establishing broadband-privacy protections.
Free Press President and CEO Craig Aaron made the following statement:
"When Tom Wheeler was named to head the FCC, we voiced serious reservations about how a former industry lobbyist could do the job. But he proved us wrong. We haven't agreed with him on every decision, but time and again Wheeler showed a willingness to stand up to industry pressure, listen to voices outside the Beltway and -- perhaps most importantly -- to change his mind.
"His legacy will be as one of the most effective chairs ever to hold the post -- judged rightfully not by the number of unanimous votes but by actual accomplishments. Wheeler didn't come into this job as a Net Neutrality champion, but he will be remembered first and foremost for his leadership on that crucial issue and for the standing ovations he earned on the day of the FCC's historic vote.
"He shares the credit with two colleagues, Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel, for the Net Neutrality victory and for many of the FCC's most important accomplishments in a generation, including reforming the Lifeline program, standing against the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger, and establishing broadband-privacy protections.
"Unfortunately, the next administration has promised to undermine and overturn the major accomplishments of the Wheeler FCC. Industry lobbyists are dusting off their worst proposals. And the team leading the agency's transition has even called for abolishing the FCC.
"We thank Tom Wheeler for his public service. And we promise to fight any attempts to attack the best policies advanced during his tenure. We call on the next administration and the new Congress to build on Wheeler's legacy by appointing future chairs and commissioners who are willing to put people first -- instead of rubber-stamping industry demands."
Free Press was created to give people a voice in the crucial decisions that shape our media. We believe that positive social change, racial justice and meaningful engagement in public life require equitable access to technology, diverse and independent ownership of media platforms, and journalism that holds leaders accountable and tells people what's actually happening in their communities.
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Billionaire-Backed JD Vance Postures as Working Class Ally in RNC Speech
"Vance doesn't care about workers—he just wants to put more money into the pockets of greedy CEOs."
Jul 18, 2024
A former venture capitalist whose Senate campaign and push to become Republican nominee Donald Trump's running mate were propelled by billionaire cash postured as an ally of the U.S. working class during his speech Wednesday night at the GOP's convention, where he accepted the party's vice presidential nomination.
"We're done, ladies and gentlemen, catering to Wall Street. We'll commit to the working man," said Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), who made millions working in Silicon Valley—including for billionaire Peter Thiel's company Mithril Capital—and later started his own venture capital firm, Narya.
"We need a leader who's not in the pocket of big business, but answers to the working man, union and nonunion alike," said Vance (R-Ohio), an opponent of landmark legislation that would strengthen workers' organizing rights and a leading advocate of an ostensibly pro-labor bill that—as one analyst put it—would empower corporations "to fend off union organizing drives by setting up their own internal labor organizations, AKA company unions."
Vance also cast Trump, a billionaire himself, as a hero to the working class despite his record of gutting labor protections and stacking federal courts and agencies with rabid opponents of organized labor.
"President Trump's vision is so simple and yet so powerful," Vance gushed Wednesday night. "Together, we will protect the wages of American workers."
"He's a former venture capitalist backed by billionaires. He has ties to Big Pharma. He's raked in Big Oil cash. He has an awful record on worker rights. He will sell out workers in a heartbeat."
Following the Republican vice presidential nominee's speech in Milwaukee, the AFL-CIO wrote on social media that "if JD Vance were pro-worker, he would have supported the PRO Act."
"But he didn't—he opposed it, and introduced his own legislation to allow corporate bosses to create their own sham unions," the labor federation added.
By the AFL-CIO's tally, Vance has "voted with working people" 0% of the time as a senator—lower than the Republican average of 3%.
Vance's ascent from bestselling author to senator to vice presidential nominee was aided at every turn by some of the richest people in the United States. Thiel, a co-founder of Paypal and an outright fascist, bankrolled Vance's Senate bid, pouring more than $13 million into a super PAC backing Vance in a crowded field. Vance also raked in campaign cash from Big Oil.
Trump's decision to choose Vance as his 2024 running mate was influenced by a behind-the-scenes lobbying effort from the world's richest man, Elon Musk, and other tech billionaires. The New York Timesreported earlier this week that Musk "told Mr. Trump directly that he should choose Mr. Vance as his running mate, describing the Trump-Vance pairing as 'beautiful.'"
"Let's be clear here. J.D. Vance is no champion of working class people," former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich wrote Wednesday. "He's a former venture capitalist backed by billionaires. He has ties to Big Pharma. He's raked in Big Oil cash. He has an awful record on worker rights. He will sell out workers in a heartbeat."
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"In essence, the Israeli Knesset voted to continue to wipe Palestine off the map," said one critic.
Jul 17, 2024
While Israel's troops wage what has been widely decried as genocide on the Gaza Strip, Israeli lawmakers on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed a resolution opposing "the establishment of a Palestinian state" west of the Jordan River.
The measure passed Israel's legislature, the Knesset, 68-9. It was spearheaded by Knesset Member Zeev Elkin of New Hope - The United Right, who shared the key messages from the resolution on social media along with a photo of the final tally.
According to Religious Zionism-affiliated Israel National News:
The proposal says, "The Israeli Knesset firmly opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan. The establishment of a Palestinian state in the heart of the land of Israel will pose an existential threat to the state of Israel and its citizens, perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and destabilize the region."
"It will only be a matter of a short time until Hamas takes over the Palestinian state and turns it into a base of radical Islamic terrorism, working in coordination with the axis led by Iran, to eliminate the state of Israel."
"The promotion of the idea of the Palestinian state will be a reward for terrorism and will only encourage Hamas and its supporters who will see this as a victory thanks to the massacre of October 7, 2023, and a prelude to the takeover of jihadist Islam in the Middle East," the proposal reads.
Since the Hamas-led October attack on Israel, Israeli forces have killed at least 38,794 Palestinians and wounded another 89,364, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health. Thousands more remain missing and believed dead beneath the rubble of bombed buildings.
In addition to destroying civilian infrastructure across the Hamas-governed coastal enclave, Israel has restricted the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, even as people starve and the remaining hospitals operate at a limited capacity.
Israel faces a South Africa-led genocide case at the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders.
"What is happening in Gaza is going down as the most documented genocide in history," Riyad Mansour, Palestine's permanent observer at the United Nations, told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday. "When will the world denounce the crimes and stop tolerating their reoccurrence?"
The Knesset vote against a two-state solution comes as Netanyahu prepares for a trip to the United States—whose government has provided political and weapons support for Israel's war. The prime minister is supposed to meet U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House next Monday before addressing a joint session of Congress, though the American leader is isolating after testing positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday.
"The measure was intended as a way to apply pressure on Netanyahu, since he is likely to face opposite pressure from U.S. officials on a hostage deal that could include future discussions of Palestinian sovereignty," The Jerusalem Postreported Wednesday. "Netanyahu himself was not present at the vote."
As the newspaper detailed:
Notably, National Unity chairman MK Benny Gantz supported the proposal alongside three other members of his party, which is considered centrist. The three were MKs Michael Biton, Pnina Tameno-Shete, and Chili Tropper.
Gantz said after the vote, "National Unity is committed in any future political scenario, as long as it exists, to preserve the Jewish and democratic identity of the state of Israel, and to stand up for its historical right and security interests."
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Biden Contracts Covid Again During Tough Campaign
"President Biden is vaccinated, boosted, and he is experiencing mild symptoms following a positive Covid-19 test," the White House said.
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U.S. President Joe Biden has contracted Covid-19 for the second time and is heading to his home in Delaware to self-isolate, the White House said Wednesday evening.
"President Biden is vaccinated, boosted, and he is experiencing mild symptoms following a positive Covid-19 test," the White House said on social media.
A statement attributed to Biden's doctor said that "the president presented this afternoon with upper respiratory symptoms, to include rhinorrhea (runny nose) and nonproductive cough, with general malaise."
.@POTUS is back on Air Force One and we’re headed to Delaware pic.twitter.com/SLGfL8pcN1
— Nandita Bose (@nanditab1) July 17, 2024
"He felt okay for his first event of the day, but given that he was not feeling better, point-of-care testing for Covid-19 was conducted, and the results were positive for the Covid-19 virus," the statement continued. "Given this, the president will be self-isolating in accordance with [U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidance for symptomatic individuals."
The doctor said that Biden—who is 81 years old—is taking the antiviral drug Paxlovid.
Biden previously contracted Covid-19 in July 2022. In what doctors call a "rebound" positive test that affects some people who take Paxlovid, he actually tested positive twice within a two-week period.
The president—who is facing mounting calls to step aside for another Democratic candidate amid concerns over his mental fitness—was scheduled to speak at the UnidosUS Annual Conference in Las Vegas before attending a community event in the important swing state of Nevada.
Biden's positive test comes as the Republican National Convention is happening in Wisconsin, another swing state. Former President Donald Trump this week secured enough delegates to become the GOP nominee and announced Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) as his running mate.
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