AM Quickie

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TODAY'S HEADLINES:

A human rights group warns that the Biden administration is well on its way to being just as bad as the Obama regime on immigration, after 300,000 people were deported in Biden’s first 100 days in office.

Meanwhile, a scathing report says that Israel is guilty of the crime of apartheid for its treatement of Palestinians.

And lastly, President Biden is looking for an $80 billion bump to the IRS, ostensibly so that the agency can beef up its enforcement into rich individuals and corporations who dodge paying taxes.

THESE ARE THE STORIES YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Immigration watchdog United We Dream estimates that the Biden administration has deported over 300,000 people since taking office, putting it at risk of repeating the unique failures of the Obama regime, which carried out mass deportations throughout its time in power.

Common Dreams reports that many of the Biden administration deportations have been justified under a Trump-era policy called Title 42. Human Rights Watch says that Title 42 used a 75-year-old public health law to effectively shut down the functioning asylum system in the U.S. during the pandemic.

Cynthia Garcia of United We Dream said in a statement on Monday quote: "Title 42 was designed under one of the most anti-immigrant administrations in modern history." endquote.

It’s just one of several Trump policies that, as we’ve noted before, Biden has yet to end. Despite promising a fairer immigration system and an end to Trump’s brutality, conditions at the border have only marginally improved and, as you can see, mass deportations are still continuing unchecked.

Meanwhile, Biden announced his pick for the director of ICE, nominating Harris County, Tex., Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. Harris presided over a shift in his sheriff’s department that saw if cooperate less with ICE, and only help to deport undocumented people who posed a so-called immediate safety threat.

So while he may be gentler than Trump’s people, make no mistake: he’s not about to fully rein ICE in anytime soon. And all the while, Trump’s policies are still doing their dirty work.

Human Rights Report Says Israel is Guilty of Apartheid

A scorching report from Human Rights Watch blasts Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, claiming that they’ve committed the crime of apartheid.

You’ll notice that we’re using the language “crime of apartheid” rather than saying apartheid state. That’s because, as HRW explains, the latter term doesn’t have a specific definition under international law.

The organizations’ intent isn’t to compare Israel to South Africa or any other country, only to clearly delineate what their crimes and abuses are.

And on those counts, the report is unsparing. Accurately saying Israel is guilty of the legally defined crimes of apartheid and persecution rests on three main points.

One, the report claims that Israel’s policies have been designed to ensure that Jewish Israelis remain dominant in the area’s politics. Two, those policies have included systemic oppression and institutional discrimination. And three, that oppression has included inhumane acts and other abuses of fundamental rights. The report arrived at these conclusions by explicitly comparing the experiences and treatment of Jewish Israelis and Palestinians living in the same general areas.

Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is a crucial, hotly contested issue, which is why it’s important to see these legal definitions so clearly laid out, without the wiggle room of rhetoric. Comparisons to other countries don’t matter: these are real lives at stake, not just a thought experiment.

Biden Seeks Beefy IRS to Catch Fat Cats

President Biden is looking to beef up the IRS. Before you start groaning, know this: the stated intent isn’t to make things more difficult for the average Joe.

Instead, Biden claims a big part of his new tax and spend plan will rest on an empowered IRS actively chasing down companies and high-earning individuals who are dodging their taxes.

To do so, he’s proposing giving the IRS an extra 80 billion over the next ten years, which he expects will turn into $700 billion in net taxes raised.

This is a good thing, obviously, but it remains to be seen how well it will actually work. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren called it a good first step, and noted quote:

“Republicans have starved the IRS so it can't go after wealthy tax cheats." endquote.

She’s not wrong about that! Earlier this month, the head of the IRS told a Senate committee that the agency just doesn’t have the resources to pursue tax cheats, estimating that it could cost the government a whopping $1 trillion a year.

If that’s true, Biden’s hope that he’ll squeeze an extra $700 billion out might be shooting a bit low. We all know the richest among us have plenty to spare.

AND NOW FOR SOME QUICKER QUICKIES:

A new report by the Trace and the New Yorker shows NRA head Wayne LaPierre brutally botching the killing of an African elephant, missing multiple shots and gruesomely wounding the animal. The barbaric killing was filmed as part of a propaganda film by the NRA, but was never released -- not because of the violence, but because LaPierre’s aim was so bad.

Nina Turner, the Bernie Sanders surrogate and former State Senator now running for the House in her native Ohio, picked up a big endorsement from staunch progressive Pramila Jayapaul today. Turner’s already smashed fundraising targets, so her campaign seems to be off to the races.

The CDC eased its long-standing mask recommendations on Tuesday, saying that it was safe for fully vaccinated adults to be outside without a mask, as long as they aren’t in large crowds like concerts or sporting events.

Joe Biden will head to Pennsylvania on Friday to attend Amtrack’s 50th anniversary party and tout his infrastructure plan. At least he’s consistent on his love for trains! Now we’ll see if we can get any more significant investments into them.

APRIL 28, 2021 - AM QUICKIE

HOSTS - Sam Seder & Lucie Steiner

WRITER - Jack Crosbie

PRODUCER - Dorsey Shaw

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER - Brendan Finn