THE HEADLINES

Principled Progressive will now be the permanent home of the daily headlines formerly published on the “Sun State Activist” page. Check back for news headlines every morning Monday through Friday, as well as original opinion, commentary and other stories you need to know.

……………………………………………….

MISSION CREEP BRINGS THE U.S. HOMELAND TO AFGHANISTAN. (Digby’s Blog)

Homeland Security Director Janet Napolitano says she will triple the number of DHS agents helping the U.S. to protect its “homeland” by aggressively combatting the smuggling of ill-gotten cash out of Afghanistan into Arab countries like Dubai. This seen as an especially blatant extension of the policy of “domestic” U.S. agencies like the DEA in operating like U.S. military forces in engaging in activities without the explicit blessing of the countries in which they are carrying out their missions.

.

BRIC BECOMES BRICS AND THE GURU OF THIS INTERNATIONAL TRADING BLOC WONDERS WHAT IS GOING ON. (Asia Times)

The consortium of nations (Brazil, Russia, India and China) to counter U.S. and E.U. economic dominance is taking on a new partner, South Africa. Since the country is by no means a “large” economy by BRIC standards, Jim O’Neill, Goldman Sachs investiment manager who was instrumental in BRIC’s formation in 2001, is puzzled by the choice. The explanation seems to be that BRIC, especially China, is intent on becoming the “political club” that O’Neill never envisioned, as an Africa entry into the consortium is seen as a “smart” geo-political move to enhance the group’s power in Africa and the Indian Ocean

.

HAITI A RECONSTRUCTION HELL WITH DISPLACEMENT CAMPS A “HORNET’S NEST OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE. (Mother Jones)

Aid workers are fighting a losing battle against rape among the tent residences of earthquake survivors, as an instrument of intimdation long used by corrupt forces in the country is further escalated by the chaos associated with continued displacement.

.

GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO’S “COMMITTEE TO SAVE NEW YORK”... (New York Times)

…is a committee to help him fight the very labor union forces that helped elect him to office. The same bait and switch which led President Obama to freeze the wages of federal employees whose unions had supported him is replicated in New York as elsewhere, as the Governor retains a fund from his campaign to purchase TV ads to counter the ones aired by those unions as he announces a similar plan for freeze on wages of state workers while pledging no taxes to help balance the state’s budget with a $9 billion gap.

.

IF GOVERNOR-ELECT LAUNCHES AN EXPECTED ASSAULT ON PUBLIC EDUCATION IN FLORIDA, HE WILL HAVE A WAR ON HIS HANDS FROM STATE’S PARENTS AND TEACHERS. (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)

This is apparently the case, as Rick Scott’s education “transition team” considers no educational reforms except the likes of private school vouchers, expanded standardized testing and teacher’s “merit pay” based on student performance on tests. Organization of opposition is beginning through Facebook Friend mobilization as well as some of the ad hoc groups of supporters of public education who are credited with having pressuring the out-going Governor to veto similar legislation.

……………………………………………….

Quote of the day…

The newer ones, there’s a lot more stuff to go wrong. I like having a clean environment as much as anyone, but the tractors we’ve been using don’t seem to be ruining the environment.

Phillip Batho, dairy farmer in Wisconsin, explaining why he bought a $60,000 used tractor rather than one of the “green” models now being pushed for reduced environmental contamination but costing more than $100,000.

……………………………………………….

Do you receive the daily headlines in the form of an early-morning e-mail? If you don’t and you would like to receive them, just send a note to sunstateactivist2@yahoo.com and you’ll be enrolled in the “Progressive breakfast club.”