Transcripts For LINKTV Democracy 20240703

Line. We will get the latest on the autoworkers strike as donald trump heads to detroit today. But first, to the u. S. Mexico border where an increasing number of migrants seeking refuge are crossing into the United States. The city of el paso only has so many resources and we have come to what we call a breaking point right now. Amy we will speak to the head of the Border Network for human rights and Democratic Congress member chuy garcia who was born in mexico. America is nothing without immigrants, plain and simple. It is who we are as a nation and it is about damn time we give immigrants the respect and the dignity they deserve. I make a plus, we will look at the u. S. Governments landmark lawsuit against amazon and the growing democratic calls for new jersey senator bob menendez to resign after he was indicted for bribery. All that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. President biden became the first sitting u. S. President to join a picket line tuesday as he expressed support for auto workers in wayne, michigan, in their strike against the big three ford, gm, and stellantis. Pres. Biden you made a lot of sacrifices. You gave up a lot. The companies were in trouble. But now they are doing incredibly well. Guess what . You should be doing incredibly well, too. It is about being fair. Folks, stick with it because you deserve a significant raise you need and other benefits. Amy President Biden was standing next to uaw president shawn fain post of President Trump is speaking today at a nonunion working plant. Meanwhile, General Motors started hiring 14anhour scabs to cross the picket line. In more labor news, television and movie writers are back at work after ending their historic 148day strike at midnight following an exceptional tentative deal on a new contract with Hollywood Studios and streaming services. The Writers Guild of america said tuesday three of its internal boards had unanimously voted to end the strike and send the tentative threeyear agreement to its 11,500 members for ratification. The new contract includes an increase in residual payments, higher compensation better benefits, protections against artificial intelligence, and gains on data transparency and staffing minimums. The u. S. Supreme court rejected alabamas bid to use a republicangerrymandered congressional map that includes only one majorityblack district. Its the second such ruling in just three months after the Supreme Court in june ruled the map violated the Voting Rights act and ordered alabama to include another majorityblack district in the sevendistrict state. Over one quarter of alabamas population is black. A special master was appointed in the case and proposed three new congressional maps that abide by the Supreme Court order. A threejudge panel will select one of the maps. In new york, a judge ruled tuesday that donald trump, his sons donald jr. And eric, and the Trump Organization repeatedly violated state law when they fraudulently inflated the value of their assets by billions of dollars to obtain loans and lower their insurance rates. The ruling came as part of a civil lawsuit brought by new York Attorney general Letitia James and will force some of trumps Business Licenses to be dissolved. Trump could lose control of a number of his properties, including the trump tower and his new york city residence. Its a major win for attorney general james, whose case against trump is scheduled to go to trial monday and will focus on alleged falsification of business and financial documents, insurance fraud, and conspiracy. James is seeking 250 million in damages and a ban on trump doing business in new york. Federal Communications Commission chair Jessica Rosenworcel said tuesday she plans to restore landmark Net Neutrality regulations that were repealed under former President Trump. This comes after democrats this week took majority control of the fivemember fcc. They will vote on reinstating Net Neutrality next month, which would bar internet providers from blocking access or throttling customers connections based on how much they pay or which websites they visit. This is rosenworcel speaking at the National Press club yesterday. Broadband is no longer just nice to have, it is need to have for everyone, everywhere. It is not a luxury, it is a necessity. It is an essential infrastructure for modern my. Amy Digital Rights activists welcomed the announcement. The Watchdog Group common cause said to allow a handful of monopolyaspiring gatekeepers to control access to the internet is a direct threat to our democracy. The federal trade commission and 17 states have filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against amazon. The plaintiffs say amazon illegally uses punitive and coercive tactics to unlawfully maintain its monopolies, allowing it to charge higher prices, harming customers, and weakening competition. Among other things, the complaint accuses amazon of burying retailers discounted products so far down in search results that consumers are less likely to find them. The lawsuit could lead to a forced restructuring of amazon. The senate announced a bipartisan stopgap deal that would keep the u. S. Government open through november 17 as well as provide 6 billion for ukraine and 6 billion in disaster funding. Senate leaders hope to pass the measure by the end of the week, but its not clear whether it can break past the ongoing gridlock in the republicancontrolled house where farright congressmembers have already threatened to remove speaker Kevin Mccarthy if he brings the bill to a vote. Mccarthy is planning to propose a bill instead which again includes 8 cuts in social spending and resumption of construction on trumps u. S. Mexico border wall. Hunter biden is suing Rudy Giuliani and giulianis former attorney Robert Costello for the total annihilation of his Digital Privacy when they hacked, then distributed data from a hard drive associated with his personal laptop in 2020. Giuliani and costello have repeatedly acknowledged accessing the hard drives data. The information was used in a story by the New York Post implicating President Biden in alleged corrupt business dealings which have since become the focus of the republicanled house impeachment inquiry against biden. In iraq, at least 100 people were killed when a massive fire ripped through a Wedding Party in the northern nineveh province tuesday. At least 150 others were injured. The blaze may have been caused by fireworks used during the ceremony. Relatives of the wedding guests have been desperately searching for their loved ones. My nephews wife and children , all three of them we cant find them. You are looking at hospitals. We could not find them. We are looking at all hospitals, nothing. Amy the death toll from an explosion at a fuel depot in the nagornokarabakh region of azerbaijan has risen to 68 as tens of thousands of Ethnic Armenians have been rushing to the border following a military blitz by Azerbaijani Forces last week. Samantha power, head of usaid, said the u. S. Would provide 11. 5 million in aid for the worsening crisis and urged azerbaijan to facilitate access to those in need by humanitarian workers. Armenia has warned of an Ethnic Cleansing Campaign in the contested region. Canadian lawmaker anthony rota resigned as speaker of the house of commons tuesday, days after he led a standing ovation in the Canadian Parliament for a canadianukrainian veteran who fought in a nazi ss unit during world war ii. Prime minister Justin Trudeau and ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined in on applauding 98yearold yaroslav hunka. This is anthony rota speaking tuesday. I reiterate my profound regret for my error in recognizing an individual during the joint address to parliament of president zelenskyy. That public recognition as cause pain to individuals and communities, including the Jewish Community in canada and around the world in addition to survivors of nazi atrocities in poland among other nations. I accept full responsibility for my actions. Amy meanwhile, polands Education Minister said he is taking steps to investigate whether hunka was involved in crimes against poles during the war and to possibly extradite him to stand trial in poland. Officials in ukraine say they are clarifying information over whether top russian commander Viktor Sokolov was in fact killed after muska released after moscow released footage of him in which he appears alive and well. Kyiv reported on monday its forces had killed sokolov, the commander of russias black sea fleet, and 33 other officers in crimea last week. Israels tourism minister is in saudi arabia marking the first public visit by an israeli senior official to riyadh as the two countries move forward to normalize diplomatic ties. This comes as the first saudi ambassador to palestine made a trip to the israelioccupied west bank, the first time a saudi delegation visits the region since 1967. Nayef alsudairi was in ramallah to meet with the palestinian authority. Good evening, u. S. see. I am proud and happy to be in my country with East Jerusalem as its capital, god willing, hopefully next time or next times we will go together to jerusalem. Amy saudi arabia has said it will only normalize relations with israel if there is progress in the creation of a palestinian state. And Jpmorgan Chase has agreed to a 75 million settlement with the u. S. Virgin islands in a lawsuit over the banks role in financing Jeffrey Epsteins sex and Human Trafficking empire. Epstein owned two private islands in the virgin islands. Jpmorgan did not accept any liability in the settlement, which will be split between legal fees and funding efforts to combat Human Trafficking. The suit, filed last december by former u. S. Virgin islands attorney general denise george, also accused jpmorgan of profiting from epsteins operations and failing to report suspicious activity. George was fired soon after she launched the lawsuit. She had recently secured a 105 million settlement from epsteins estate. This comes after Jpmorgan Chase in june agreed to pay 290 million to settle another lawsuit brought by epstein survivors who said the bank ignored warnings about abstains abuses for years because he was bringing in wealthy clients. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Coming up, we go to a the u. S. Mexico border. Stay with us. Amy ya no estoy aqui by helado negro. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman in new york, joined by democracy now s Juan Gonzalez in chicago. Hi, juan. Juan hi, amy. Welcome to all of our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. Amy we begin todays show with an update on the sharp increase in the number of people attempting to cross the u. S. Mexico border in recent weeks as thousands seek protection from violence, conflict, extreme poverty, and the impacts of the climate crisis. This week, mexicos government announced it would accept the Biden Administrations demand to start deporting migrants from northern Mexican Border cities back to their home countries. The move came after shelters in the texas border city of el paso said they are over capacity as thousands of Asylum Seekers continue to arrive. This is el paso mayor oscar leeser. The city of el paso only has seven resources, and we have come to what we are looking at as a breaking point right now. Amy meanwhile, Immigration Rights advocates have denounced the Biden Administration for deploying more military personnel to the southern border and for not prioritizing humanitarian relief or addressing the massive backlogs greatly delaying the processing of asylum and immigration cases. A recent report by Syracuse University found a backlog of some 2. 6 million cases in u. S. Immigration courts. Last week, the Biden Administration announced it is granting work permits and temporary protection from deportation to nearly half a million venezuelans. Migrants from venezuela who were already in the u. S. As of july 31 can apply for temporary protected status. The relief will last a year and a half. These are some of the voices of venezuelan migrants whove recently arrived to the u. S. Mexico border. We want to cross into the United States for a better future. The journey has been very difficult. We have been mistreated, we are hungry. The children are tired but we are going with the glory of god. We are going to cross the border so we can do well because our country is struggling. Amy harsh u. S. Economic sanctions on venezuela have largely contributed to worsening Living Conditions in the country forcing tens of thousands of venezuelans to flee. We took on this risk and this journey to escape the crisis in venezuela. We prefer to die on our journey to the United States than to die of hunger in venezuela. Amy meanwhile, thousands of migrants continue to arrive in cities like new york and chicago on buses from the texasmexico border. For more, we are joined by two guests. In el paso, Fernando Garcia is the founder and executive director of the el paso, texasbased Border Network for human rights. And in washington, d. C. , Democratic Congressmember Jesus Chuy Garcia of illinois joins us. Longtime immigration advocate who himself migrated from mexico. The first mexican immigrant from the midwest elected to congress. He has visited a center in chicago where some migrants have been received, and in may he sent a letter to Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas calling for expedited and additional funding to help the new arrivals. Last month, he spoke out after a threeyearold migrant child died while she was being bused from texas to chicago. We welcome you both to democracy now congressmember garcia, lets begin rather yes, garcia, lets begin with you. If you can start off by talking overall about what is happening right now . I think across the political spectrum, it is clear the migration, the immigration policy in the United States is broken. What you feel needs to be done . The historic interventions, military interventions, the sanctions that we have imposed on Different Countries in Central America, in the caribbean, in south america, and of course the failed war on drugs are all important factors that are displacing people and creating misery and responsible for much of the violence, corruption, and impunity in Central America, like venezuela. That is at the root of what is driving people to desperation. And they are coming to the u. S. Seeking asylum and refuge, fleeing terrible consequences, risking their lives to get here. And we continue to have an immigration system that is broken. We have not had Immigration Reform, a bill passed in 36 years. Obviously, we need to change our immigration system and we need a system that responds both compassionately and responds to the root causes of why people come to this country. Unless we do that, were going to continue to react this way. At the same time, it is clear we need to act multilateral in cooperation with countries where we have a long legacy of intervention and sanctions. And these are the things that are driving people to this country. Juan congressman garcia, i want to ask about the different narratives that we are hearing about the migration crisis. Chicago clearly has received more than 14,000 migrants in the past year but what we dont care about is chicago has also received as of june 30, more than 29,000 ukrainians, twice as many as the number of migrants from the border who have come here and yet we do not see any ukrainians in police stations. We dont see any cries the ukrainian refugees are overrunning the chicago area. Instead they are being quietly integrated into the general society, getting work permits immediately, and able to access government assistance. What about this edition different narrative of those coming from the southern border versus those coming from europe . That is an excellent point,. We welcome folks from ukraine. We welcome folks from afghanistan, from other places in europe and other parts of the world, but it seems because of our actions across many decades in this hemisphere whether it is haiti, cuba, venezuela, Central America, and all of the interventions we were behind even though we know very well why people are being displaced and are coming to the border, we refuse to have a system that treats asylumseekers were equitably, that welcomes them, and helps to integrate them. Look at how much hell raising we had to do to get the administration, the Biden Administration to respond last week by designating venezuelans eligible for temporary protected status. This was not the case with the ukrainian wave of migrants that chicago and other cities welcomed to this country. Obviously, there is a difference in how we treat people and it is a part of the tragedy of a broken immigration system that doesnt establish norms and practices that are equitable for everyone seeking asylum and refuge in our country. Juan and how do you feel the newly elected mayor of Chicago Brandon Johnson is handling the crisis . Clearly, some communities there is resistance. Local communities. To the establishment of shelters or temporary housing in particular neighborhoods of the city. I think the mayor of chicago, mayor johnson, is living up to chicagos commitment to continue to be a welcoming city and to welcome everyone who comes there. Resources that are necessary to successfully provide food and shelter for people have created a strain on the citys finances in part because the federal government is not providing sufficient funding for those purposes. The state of illinois has stepped up along with the city and is helping to care for these migrants. Obviously, the federal government needs to put up more and the city needs to look at all of the options to make the integration and the welcoming of all these immigrants as humane as possible. We continue to look for those types of resources and solutions. My hope is we will do the right thing by treating people. But obviously, the surge and the blessing by republican governors bussing a republican governors is causing a strain and it is pitting people against each other. While chicago seeks to become a more equitable city, the increase of migrants at this time is causing fissures with other communities and even a debate within the immigrant community about what we have done in the past and what were doing now. That is part of the reason we call for work permits for venezuelans and recent arrivals. As well as those who have been here for 10, 20, even 30 years and remain hopeful for the ability to work and an obvious pathway to legalization and to citizenship in the future. What is causing this is our broken immigration system and congress failure to address Immigration Reform. Amy were speaking to congressmember chuy garcia chicago in the Capitol Rotunda in washington, d. C. , where it is possible government will shut down in a few days. Were going to talk to Fernando Garcia, longtime executive director of the Border Network for human rights. He is with us from el paso where your mayor has said el paso is at a breaking point. Explain the situation there and the pressure the Biden Administration has brought on mexico to deport people to their home countries and what el paso looks like right now. Good morning. Listen, we are very frustrated at the border. Not only the organizations we work with, but also our communities. Because what seems to be happening is the recycling of crisis after crisis of the state institutional response. When i say that, last year, two years ago we were demanding major changes to the infrastructure at the border post to invest in more welcome centers, welcoming for structure to provide an services, shelters, health care, education, water, food for migrant families that were coming across and nothing has been done. Not by this administration and much less from the previous administration. We have been in the same situation over and over. There was an increased number of people coming and then the response was either deportation or a death sentence for some of them and that sleeping in the cold or the streets. The same situation in may where we had no capacity. The Community Organizations and religious organizations that provide some of these shelters, obviously, they dont have to capacity, resources, and money. No major federal funding, to build more infrastructure. That is the same situation in juarez. We have thousands of people in refugee camps. In el paso, downtown, we have thousands if not hundreds of people being processed already. They are released in down town they dont have the means and ways to get to their destination up north. They dont have essential services. They dont have water, food, any shelter. This is the thing. This is not new. We have seen it many times already. We have been announcing it even here on your newscast. We have been telling one after the other that we need to reform our system that has failed and nothing has happened. The opposite has happened instead, which is the expansion of harsh enforcement, policing against migrants. Mexico agrees with the United States to start deporting people. People will be subject to harsh rotation and detention. The expansion of the u. S. Enforcement only strategy is now permeating into mexico. Mexico is embracing harsh treatment against immigrants. The situation for immigrants overall is getting more difficult. We have a major failure of the administration shortterm and longterm. I think it seems theres no way to resolve it because no one has the willingness. Juan fernando, i want to ask you because all along the border , especially in texas and all those counties along the border, the majority of the population is of latinos. As the border gets militarized, more and more latinos get hired into the detention industry that is occurring there. What is the impact of the failure of the federal government to handle the crisis in terms of how latinos along the border are reacting to the Immigration Crisis . I think you have different reactions. Depending on where you are at the border. Most of the border communities el paso, del rio, eagle pass, laredo, brownsville. Most of them are welcoming communities. That means they come out and open their wallets, their homes, churches to provide safety, safe environment for migrant families. Theres nothing you can say about those communities because they are the ones providing enough resources to get support for these families. It is important what you mentioned because a lack of sensible strategy in texas has allowed this is very important allow the state of texas and Governor Abbott to launch its own racist enforcement in strategies at the border. He has used human rights crisis to launch political gain which essentially is using immigrants as part of the political platform. He launched operation lone star, which is deploying Texas National guard and state troopers at the border, building border walls, river congressmember river buoys, all of these things. It is causing a lot of harm and our communities. The militarization at the border that we traditionally have had but also militarizing the border. I think migrants and order residents are being impacted by the strategies. Amy lets go to the border city of eagle pass, texas, that has extended a state of Emergency Declaration as thousands of Asylum Seekers have arrived in recent days. This is the democratic mayor of eagle pass rolando salinas. What is disappointing is you have all of these thousands of people just walking in without any consequence whatsoever. So the word is getting out, kind of a come on, come all approach. There is no consequence. I want to say i think this is unacceptable. It is a shame we dont have Immigration Reform and a solution to prevent situations like this. Amy this mayor of eagle pass, congressmember garcia, is a democrat, as he attacks the Biden Administration and has continued for the lack of response in the area. So you have the racist policies of the Texas Governor abbott where you have this actual razor saws embedded in the buoys and people dying wrapped in razor wire along the rivers edge that is just horrifying, but at the same time, congressmember garcia in chicago, you have this over a broken policy. What do you think President Biden needs to do right now . What can be done where you are . It is noisy now in the Capitol Rotunda. It may not be in a few days when the government shuts down. But what are you saying to republican and democratic colleagues about this . Members of congress have called on the white house to do the right thing and help get more assistance to affected areas. This is what we were asking for in the letter to the white house to secretary myorkas. They need more resources. Cities that are receiving and have welcoming policy like chicago and new york need Additional Resources as well. Work permits would go a long ways toward alleviating some of the physical strain that the fiscal strain cities are experiencing right now. Additional resources, funding from fema for food and shelter would go a significant ways to helping alleviate the crunch that cities and areas are experiencing. This is what i am talking about that is being caused frictions in committees like border cities, eagle pass, el paso, chicago and new york as well. All these cities are striving for greater equity, they are having to take money out of their budgets to receive and welcome and provide humanitarian assistance and integration to these migrants. Additional funding would help. But at the same time, enacting Immigration Reform is a part of that process because the broken immigration system is being manipulated by cartels, by gangs, by other mafias throughout all of the countries where migrants are traversing. And people are being manipulated and misled into thinking that they simply get to the border, things are going to be great and they will be able to get assistance and jobs and integrated into society. This is the type of misinformation that is being manipulated by forces that are behind a lot of the human tragedy and trafficking that is taking place given the current set of events and our inability in congress to enact Immigration Reform. Juan congressmember garcia, you mention cartels and their role in this. We have had a stay couple of the republican we have had at least a couple of candidates, Governor Ron Desantis of florida and nikki haley who voiced support for sending troops or firing missiles into mexico supposedly to battle these cartels. Desantis has gone as far as to say he would use drone strikes. Your response to this kind of language and how this affects the debate . This is further republican evolution of talking points. Just a few years ago, it was only donald trump that was saying these outrageous things. Now it is most of the front runners or those seeking to become front runners in the republican primary that are saying these terrible, responsible things. That is why i introduced an amendment in the appropriations process that would reiterate Congress War Powers act and to ensure we adhere to what the constitution and those powers that only congress has our adhere to. And two, i wanted to return as to take a long look at our history of intervention and sanctions and the failed war on drugs many of the factors that are contributing to migrants, to this country in desperation. In other words, things we have done for many decades in Central America and south america are now coming home as part of our failed Foreign Policy toward those countries. That is why i introduced that an amendment because i wanted there to be a real conversation about what is responsible and what is sustainable into the future. It is ridiculous to think we would be considering seriously launching missiles into mexico, violating their sovereignty, and ruining a relationship that is special and should be rooted in collaboration and Mutual Understanding and, of course, specked with mexico. These are the types of maga republicans that are behind wanting to shut down the government, to hold the nation hostage, to enact crazy radical proposals like returning to building the wall, doubling down on the amount of detention and cruel enforcement at the border that could result in the separation of families which was a part of the trump policy. And continuing to dismantle the asylum system and defunding the ability to provide Legal Counsel to those seeking political asylum in our country. Amy congressmember garcia, hugh make this key point about u. S. Foreign policy. While you have the eagle pass mayor saying people are coming here without consequence, my gosh, the grueling round that they take over many months, the number of people injured and who die when they talk about putting it on the migrants without consequence as opposed to the United States and the issue of the United States Foreign Policy and recognizing how it is driving people here, your final thoughts on this immigration discussion as we move into National Hispanic heritage month . Desperation is something that is driving people to come to our southern border. Lets not forget our responsibility for things we did decades ago, a few years ago that is producing this. The latest has been these sanctions against venezuela, which has shattered the economy, forced people to flee to colombia and some of the other nearby countries and, ultimately, they decided to risk their lives, to risk everything crossing the darien gap and being subjected to all of the trials and tribulations of cartels and mafias and corrupt government officials as they traverse in their dangerous journey through all of the countries in Central America and mexico. This will not cease until we begin to work multilaterally with descending countries come into we decide to change our interventionist policies, as well as the sanctions that we have inflicted on many countries this is at the root of things. We need to work with countries in Central America and in south america. There are progressive governments there that are willing to do this. Until we treat immigration at the root where the conditions are displacing people and forcing people to flee, were going to continue to experience these things. These are similar to developments going on in europe as well where people are fleeing. When you add Climate Change and the degradation conditions in these countries, they will only force more people to be displaced as they seek refuge, asylum, and greater security. So until we take a more comprehensive approach to dealing with the root causes, we are going to experience these types of crises. Amy congressmember garcia, we want you to stay with us for a minute. I want to say goodbye to Fernando Garcia, head of the Border Network for human rights. As we stay with congressmember garcia, were continuing our coverage related to National Hispanic heritage month, which goes from september 15 to october 15. September 15, and date that marks the anniversary of independence for costa rica, salvador, honduras, nicaragua. Mexico celebrates september 16, chile bang on september 18. This june marked the 40th anniversary of what many call the assassination of a leading chicago labor and Community Activist rudy lozano who is congressmember garcias friend and political mentor. He led walkouts to demand more for migrant workers. He was midwest director of International Garment workers union, played a key role in building black brown unity to elect the first africanamerican mayor of chicago. Tragically, he was shot dead in his own home in 1983 when he was just 31 years old. This past june, chicago congressmember chuy garcia, our guest, honored rudy lozanos life and legacy in a speech on the house floor. I rise today to honor a great organizer and Community Activist, a leader who fought the chicago machine and built multiracial and intergenerational coalitions my friend, political mentor, and compadre rudy lozano. A labor organizer, he fought for workers rights. As a Community Activist, he fought for justice for immigrant families. Rudy brought together Diverse Communities to elect harold washington, chicagos first black mayor, in 1983. Rudy knew political empowerment was vital to improving community conditions. My presence in congress and the growing number of progressive, black, latino, and asianamerican elected officials in chicagoland represents the enduring impact of his legacy. Lets continue this legacy by working in coalition to ensure a more inclusive politics for all. que viva rudy juan that was congressman Jesus Chuy Garcia talking about the legacy of rudy lozano. If you could talk about your friend and your fellow activist in chicago, his importance the role of casa and why that legacy needs to be remembered. Rudy lozano is a product of movements in the u. S. , and certainly in chicago. He was forged during the civil rights movement, during the movement opposing the unjust war in vietnam, during the time when the black panthers were making a Significant Impact in the black community. Brown berets were organizing for dignity and justice in the southwest. Those movements were also present in chicago to the brown berets and movements to improve our schools, movements that said our immigration system is broken and we need Immigration Reform in washington. People should have a pathway to citizenship. Workers need to be organized so they can bargain at the table and improve the working conditions, earn better wages, provide for their families, be able to retire things that are going on in our midst as we do this interview. We celebrate hispanic heritage month in chicago commemorating and lifting of the contributions of activists like rudy lozano who were responsible for movements that have empowered latino, africanamerican, asian, and other discriminated communities over a 40 year span. In chicago, the organization that rudy helped found, he was our founding president , continues to be now the oldest Progressive Electoral and activistoriented Political Organization in chicago. We are bringing up the next generation of leaders that we have helped elect to the chicago city council, countywide in cook county, to the state legislature, in the house and the state senate, as well as a new colleague in congress who joined us this year delia ramirez. These are expressions of the movement for political empowerment for Progressive Coalition building, and most importantly, for advocating and pushing for the adoption of progressive policies that ring equity and equality to all people. That is the meaning of the legacy of rudy lozano and his contributions in chicagoland. It is a part of why chicago in 1983 broke a race barrier and elected the first africanamerican mayor who was also a wonderful progressive. And it is also a part of the history and why chicago has just elected another progressive mayor and one who is also africanamerican. And we have changed the climate in politics in chicago. We disbanded the old political machine that was rooted in racism and sexism and corruption , and replaced it with a new uniting progressive movement. Amy i want to end and get your comment on bert corona, who started casa. This is bert corona speaking at an antiwar rally. Thousands of chicago youth are killed by police with guns and there is not been one single policeman ever brought to the bar of justice for having shot a mexican kid in the back. You must understand this is the request and this is the demand for equality of dissipation, for the bringing together of black and brown and asian and white people in an effort to bring this war to an end. Theres a war in southeast asia, but theres a war against me every day. The kind hospitals, the schools, the drug pushers, the exploiting bosses. We could say, go back to europe. Juan that was bert corona, the founder of casa, talking in the early 1970s against the vietnam war. Casa produced many leaders that went on to play influential roles in the latino community. The first latino mayor of the modern era in l. A. Was also a member of casa as was rudy lozano and, chuy garcia, the importance of casa as an organization that raised the consciousness of so many young latinos . The speech that you just heard, the remarks of bert corona, are a speech that any one of us could be giving today as we stand with the United Auto Workers in their efforts to secure a better equitable contract and help make a Just Transition in our Energy Policy as it relates to electric vehicles, etc. This is the legacy that many of us are heirs of, a legacy that we are seeking to create and build for the future. These are the lessons that we have shared with young people who want to make a difference whether it is in local politics, national politics, or international politics. The issues that we are grappling with our urgent. They require the action of people who are forward thinking and forwardlooking and pushback against the type of extremist policies that maga republicans will want to shut the government down in the next few days are trying to enact here. Immigration measures that double down on building a wall, that double down on detention, and seek to dismantle systems of asylum that have been a part of our National Pastime and what makes our country so unique. The words of bert corona, rudy lozano remain most meaningful in our time as we grapple with Climate Change, as we grapple with immigration and fair migration, and as we grapple on how to make the planet more sustainable for future generations, and as we struggle for justice for everyone. Amy we want to thank you congressmember Jesus Chuy Garcia, speaking to us from the canon rotunda from congress. Who knows how long it will remain open for this week. Thank you for being there. We continue to observe National Hispanic heritage month. Next up, President Biden makes history by becoming the first sitting president to stand with striking autoworkers on a picket line. Stay with us. [music break] amy this is democracy now im amy goodman with Juan Gonzalez. President biden made history tuesday by becoming the first sitting president to join striking workers on a picket line. He joined autoworkers outside a Gm Distribution Center in wayne county, michigan. Pres. Biden you made a lot of sacrifices, gave up a lot. The companys were in trouble. Now they are doing incredibly well. You should be doing incredibly well, too. It is a simple proposition. Folks, stick with it because you deserve a significant raise you need and other benefits. Will get back what we lost, how . We saved them, it is about time they step up for us. Amy there are now 18,000 autoworkers on strike at 41 facilities across 21 states. Uaw president shawn fein has accompanied biden on the picket line. We do the heavy lifting. We do the real work. And no we dont know it, that is what power is. We have the power. The world is of our making. The economy is of our making. This industry is of our making. And as we have shown, when we withhold our labor, we can unmake it. Amy donald trump is headed to detroit today, scheduled to speak to autoworkers at a nonunion auto parts maker. To talk more about the uaw strike, were joined by david dayen, the executive editor of the american prospect. He recently went to a picket line in ontario, california, where striking workers have twice had guns pulled on them, nonunion trucker seeking to use a Distribution Center to move auto parts to dealers. David, welcome back to democracy now i want you to describe that scene, but First Responder President Biden making history on the picket line of the uaw. You are absolutely right, it was historic. Seeing a sitting president walking the picket line is something we have never seen before in the United States. The contrast with donald trump tonight will be at a nonunion shop that is he was there at the request of management, is undeniable. Unfortunately, some of the Mainstream Media are simply saying he is talking to uaw workers and nothing could be further from the truth as this is a nonunion shop. Unfortunately, we are getting this false equivalence. I think the Biden Administration has laid down a marker about what they believe should be a Just Transition for autoworkers. Juan david, why has it taken so long for sitting president to actually put their actions whether their mounts are in terms of striking workers . I think president obama, who so many progressives believed was an important progress for the american politics, his Auto Task Force guy Stephen Ratner has come out basically saying it is outrageous for biden to take to the uaw picket line and has criticized the autoworkers for making demands that are considered by ratner to be way out of line. President obama promised to walk picket lines when he was a candidate, and they never did so as president. Steve ratner was the head of the auto bailout which forced concessions on the uaw, which they took to try to save the companies in 2009. However, well beyond them back to health and have not received any reversal of those concessions. When i talked to workers in ontario, they told me they lost their costofliving adjustment, they lost even a five minute break they used to get to wash up between shifts. Obviously, i think ratner is a little embarrassed by the fact he negotiated these concessions and they have never returned to the workers, the benefit of the workers. So that is the mentality. The mentality of the Obama Administration and the Biden Administration, as far as it relates to worker power, could not be more stark. And with that, that ratner made. Juan i wanted to ask you about the strategy of the United Auto Workers this time around. It has been very unusual compared to previous labor conflicts in that they have not chosen to send all of the autoworkers out on strike at the same time, but have chosen key plants or sectors of the Auto Industry to go out on the street. As you know, strikes last a long time, they tend to fade to the public consciousness and the media. But by continuing to keep the industry not knowing exactly what their next move will become it has kept the strike in the public eye. Exactly. When i talked to workers, they appreciated it kept the companys offbalance, it has enabled the uaw to play one company off the other in the second round of the stand up strike, they went out at parts Distribution Centers for gm and stellantis but said, look, we are making Good Progress in negotiations with ford so we wont strike those ford Distribution Centers. It has allowed them to pit the companies against one another. It has kept the Companies Guessing to where this problem is going to occur in terms of the logistics network, their workflow. It has these benefits you talk about in terms of keeping the strike in the public eye. So until there is an agreement at the bargaining table, i expect this to continue. Amy i want to ask you to questions, one about the guns been drawn on workers on the picket line in ontario, california, and the other on the close relationship between the ceo of General Motors, where President Biden chose to stand with the striking workers she has been to the white house Something Like eight times since he has become president. He is cultivated that relationship with her. She leads the ev transition. That autoworkers are concerned about. So where i went to in ontario , it is a parts Distribution Center for stellantis. The Truck Drivers go into the facility to exchange goods. These are nonunion truckers. The teamsters wont cross the picket line. What happened is the picketers block the entrance of the doors. On two occasions, guns have been drawn. Fortunately, no violence. Sophie Fouron i have to walk really slowly, but i can actually get really close to them. Right there, royal penguins. We are between argentina and antarctica, in a windswept country the Falkland Islands or the malouines, or the malvinas, depending on where you come from. You might remember