THE HEADLINES

BLACK “PROGRESSIVISM’ TODAY SEEMS TO STOP AT THE WATER’S EDGE. —AND THE SCHOOL HOUSE DOOR.

(Black Agenda Report)

This is the observation of Black Agenda Report editor Bruce A. Dixon, in describing the content of an MSNBC panel discussion of the “Black Agenda.” Without exception, all panelists totally ignored M.L. King Jr’s insight, especially late in his career, of the close connection between black disadvantage at home and American wars and other imperialist adventures abroad. One of the leading lights of today’s “misleadership” class of black Americans, the “firebrand” preacher Al Sharpton, gets special condemnation from Dixon. The other panelists gave Sharpton a pass in failing to confront him with his having made an apparent deal with the forces of educational “reform” by accepting funding for his “action” network to tour the country on behalf of the Obama administration’s “race to the top” educational policies that actually operate to keep black Americans at the bottom of the barrel.

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PENTAGON: U.S. STILL BOMBING LIBYA? NO, WE’RE ENGAGING IN SUPPRESSION OF ENEMY AIR DEFENSES (SEAD).

(Reuters)

Reuters reports that U.S. air strikes continue to hit targets in Libya, even after the cessation of such strikes, lamented by France and Britain, supposedly occurred on April 4. The Pentagon (in the tradition of re-labeling soldiers as “advisers”) says these were not air strikes but rather “defensive” measures designed to prevent the Libyan government from violating no-fly restrictions—in other words mounting any opposition to those admitted air strikes that are occurring.

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HYDROELECTRIC POWER AND OTHER PEOPLES’ WATER: A TALE OF TWO CONTINENTS.

(IPS News)

The two “emerging powers” of Brazil and China are emerging in economic power largely on the basis of massive expansions in electrical power usage. To this end, both countries are seeking to build hydroelectric power plants in neighboring countries. In South America, this project is working relatively smoothly as a matter of mutually beneficial regional “integration.” The story is far different in Asia where small countries see Chinese operations as impinging on their scarce water resources.

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AND IN THIS CORNER, WEARING THE BLUE TRUNKS….

(New York Times)

New York Times writers trumpet up an oncoming “fierce partisan battle” between the President and GOP members of Congress over the issue of moving toward balancing the federal budget. The bottom lines of the “plans” of the two parties produce similar estimates of deficit reduction over 10-12 years, but the means of getting there are described as vastly different. Obama and the Democrats would focus on tax increases for the wealthy, while Republican members of Congress and presidential candidates-in-waiting will emphasis assaults on “entitlement” programs like Medicare and Medicaid. The guy in the blue trunks has so far a track record of yielding to GOP demands, so it’s unsure that he and his party will be able to “take the punches” of the fight that is sure to develop. (But they’ll still come out winners if this “fight” fantasy is sustained through the 2012 elections.)

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FOR THE MIAMI HERALD, THE U.S. WAR AGAINST CUBA NEVER STOPPED.

(Miami Herald)

The newspaper headlines a story on the 50th anniversary of the Bay of Pigs invasion in which numerous “brave” Cuban exiles volunteered for action against Castro oppression, only to be stranded to his permission after the U.S. abandoned air support of them. Resolutions of praise for them were passed in Congress, and south Florida survivors and their families and associates in the exile community hold memorial observances in their honor.

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Quote of the day…

If only the Pelosiites in control of Congress between 2006 and 2008 had been a quarter as obstinate! They could have ended Bush’s wars and, by investigating on-going war crimes, begun the restoration of the rule of law. They could even have brought impeachment proceedings against Dick Cheney and George Bush, as some Democrats, before 2006, said they would. But, true to Democratic traditions, Nancy Pelosi was emphatic: anything smacking of liberal audacity was “off the table.” That order is still in force.

Andrew Levine, commenting on GOP “obstinacy” in defending its conservative positions, and the likelihood of their using that obstinacy in anticipated “fierce partisan battles.”

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