The portrayal of Democratic candidates in the debates is not the positive picture, especially with a prevalence of less left-leaning ideas permeating the public consciousness. This is the general argument made by The Nation, who continue that the trust we place in media should not extend to thinking they will give candidates a fair shake in terms of the questions they’re asking. 

Democratic presidential candidates raise their hands

The debate surrounding immigration is one that has become a sticking point with the Trump administration. And while it often centers around those coming from south of America, there are plenty of cases involving those from other corners of the globe. One of these, as the Middle East Eye reports, of a man dying after being deported to Iraq, has increased calls for more scrutiny regarding immigration policy.  
 

As the crisis surrounding the climate continues to worsen, and less is done by governments around the world, the need to focus on this issue by the Democratic party grows even more. Speaking about a possibility of having a dedicated climate debate during the primary, The Intercept discusses why this is an issue that has to be solved, much less talked about in such a public setting, to bring the legitimacy it deserves and the action it needs. 

A girl holds a sign that reads 'pull the emergency brake' as she attends a ceremony in the area which once was the Okjokull glacier, in Iceland, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019. With poetry, moments of silence and political speeches about the urgent need to fight climate change, Icelandic officials, activists and others bade goodbye to the first Icelandic glacier to disappear. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

While it is clear that journalists on the whole will lean one way or another, there is a trend among those at the largest outlets to favor the left, and also those that support a more measured approach to a variety of problems. Such is the case, as FAIRreports, with the media’s discussions surrounding the more zealous policies of Warren and Sanders versus the much more toned down approach that Biden would rather take, and the direction articles discussing these issues tend to take.

National Review depiction of Joe Biden campaigning in Iowa

When looking at an issue as complex as the one in Syria, it can be difficult to understand which side is the ‘good guys,’ which side we should support as ‘good people.’ The truth is, that in the case of the Syrian civil war, all sides have done horrible things, and neither side can really claim the title of 100 percent good, and Truthdig is hoping people can understand this when considering things like the report that Tulsi Gabbard met with Assad to try and come to an agreement between the two warring factions. 

We're Listening to the Wrong Voices on Syria

When looking at an equally complicated issue like that of immigration in the US, it is easy to get lost in the number of people coming in and the number that get detained by the government. Despite this, there are some, as Democracy Now! reports, that are trying to keep some humanity in this issue, with Alvaro Enciso placing crosses across an Arizona desert to memorialize those that have died trying to cross the border.

The specter of Brexit is somewhat of a foreign concept to Americans, especially because it is happening in another country, and also due to the difficulty in grasping the full significance of the deal. But, as CounterPunch reports, this issue appears to not quite be lost on the Trump administration, as Bolton was sent to the UK to try and negotiate a better deal for the US when Britain actually leaves the EU, despite the lack of the success Trump has had with making deals stick.

Whenever the issue of police brutality gets brought up, there tends to be an invocation of the phrase ‘a few bad apples,’ that if but for a couple officers who did wrong, the system would work perfectly. Unfortunately, as The Real News Networkreports, the issue tends to stem from a corrupt system rather than a couple corrupt officers, as the explanation for why it keeps happening makes a systematic approach harder to ignore.


 

The media’s relationship with Julian Assange is one fraught with accusations and misinformation, where Assange is rarely examined through an unbiased lens that looks at him as neither a savior of the free press or its most hated enemy. Trying to show where an outlet like CNN has erred in portraying Assange as horrible, The Grayzone lists 40 different ways CNN was wrong about their reporting on Assange and how harmful that is to the discourse surrounding whistle blowers.  

Julian Assange

 

Ronan Burtenshaw with this weeks Tweet of the Week:

As revelations continue to come out regarding Jeffery Epstein’s apparent suicide, there are many ways to look at some of the more salacious details surrounding his associates and enablers. As The Ghion Journal writes, a recent expose by Whitney Webb showing just how deep the Epstein rabbit hole goes reminds us how the very rich are the ones that hold all the cards. 

Mark Zuckerberg at a congressional hearing
The HEADLINES:
1. ‘This is unprecedented’: Iceland prime minister will not meet Mike Pence during his visit (The Independent)2. Facebook Wants a Do-Over on News (The Atlantic)

3. Proud Boys Leader Admits Their Rallies Are For Fighting And Wasting Money (HuffPost)

4. Amazon fires: ‘Our house is burning’, Macron warns ahead of G7 (BBC)

5. Macron tells Johnson Brexit backstop is indispensable (The Guardian)