THE HEADLINES

Political cartoon: "What the United States Has Fought For" (Thanks to the Univ. of Wisc. and the State Historical Society of Wisconsin)

STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER—-AND EVERYWHERE

(Z Net)

Michael Parenti posts an Independence Day weekend blog by reviewing the history of American interventionism throughout the world, and notes that neither liberal nor conservative critics of this policy have understood this as not the result of “irrational” policies subversive of American “national interest” but rather fully rational and consistent with U.S. pursuit of capitalist agenda of expropriating the wealth of other nations.

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CAPTAIN OF AUDACITY OF HOPE SHIP HAS AUDACITY TO DEFY GREEK BAN ON SAILING HIS SHIP TO GAZA AND WINDS UP ARRESTED BY GREEK AUTHORITIES “UNDER SHOCKING CONDITIONS” AND WITHOUT CONSULAR ASSISTANCE FROM U.S. GOVERNMENT HEADED BY PRESIDENT AUDACITY OF HOPE.

(Common Dreams)

Skipper of the U.S. ship in the Gaza flotilla, like ships of other nations, is detained in Greek port because of “diplomatic” pressures from Israel to do so, is arrested and returned to arrest in Greece. The head of the organization that sponsored the ill-fated flotilla describes his arrest and his lack of “consular assistance” from his own government. Israeli government thanks Greece for this contribution to its “national security” by stopping dangerous terrorists from delivering letters of support to the beseiged population of Gaza.

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THE LOCAL LENDING CREDIT FREEZE THAT DIDN’T UNFREEZE AS LARGE AMERICAN BANKS WERE BAILED OUT.

(Op-Ed News)

These banks, the emergency assistance of which was touted as necessary to restore lending opportunities for small businesses, have instead invested their funds in speculative stocks, and states throughout the country are resorting to the establishment of public banks to provide the financial assistace to Main Street that Wall Street is still avoiding.

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MINNESOTA: SORRY KIDS, WE WON’T BE GOING TO THE ZOO THIS FOURTH OF JULY.

(USA Today)

The state zoos, like public services generally, are closed in the only state so far that has experienced a government shutdown as has been threatened in many states and in federal government, as officials struggle to produce balanced budgets under recessionary conditions. In Minnesota, not only recreational facilities but many vital services on which the “most vulnerable” are dependent are now put into shutdown.

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IF RICK SCOTT’S BROTHER MOVED TO FLORIDA, THE GOVERNOR WOULD HAVE TO DRUG TEST HIM.

(Miami New Times)

Reporters in Dallas interview his brother, a welfare recipient with a history of drug violations, as the Governor signs legislation requiring all welfare clients to pass a drug test as a condition of their financial assistance. Tallahassee is nice to visit, bro, but don’t even think about moving here.

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Quote of the day…

If you’re an illegal immigrant and are a criminal on top of that, you shouldn’t be here. The people here are just sick and tired of crime and gang problems. Whatever can be done to get more criminals out of the area, the better.

Ken Irwin, Sheriff of Yakima County Washington, as state begins to implement Secure Communities of DHS which tags illegal immigrants among people arrested for crimes and subjects them to federal deportation.

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