Supreme Court: Precedent for Blocking Roberts’ Confirmation
As more information about Supreme Court nominee John Roberts’ record is made available, it is increasingly clear that the Senate judiciary committee would be well within its rights to block confirmation. The White House packaged Roberts as a non-controversial, non-ideological nominee and announced its expectation of confirmation quickly, as early as next month.
Moreno May Have to Reinvent Himself as the New IDB President
On Wednesday, the Board of Governors of the International Development Bank (IDB) elected their new president. As predicted, Luis Alberto Moreno, the present Colombian ambassador to the United States, won the position, beating out the most highly qualified candidate, Brazilian Joao Sayad, the current Vice President of Finance and Management at the IDB, as well as Peruvian Finance Minister Pedro-Pablo Kuczynski.
Wal-Mart: Always High Costs...Always
According to a report authored by the staff of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, because of Wal-Mart's low wages, any one of its employees might be forced to seek public assistance estimated at $2,103 to the US taxpayers for health care and other assistance. With approximately 1.3 million US employees and growing, this amounts to a total of $2.7 billion a year.
John Roberts: A Republican Great Gatsby?
The Bush administration has nominated a smooth corporate lawyer with all the right university, law school and gentleman’s club connections to replace Sandra Day O’Connor at the Supreme Court. Questions will be asked of course, particularly on Roe v. Wade, but the federal judiciary’s collaboration with right-wing Republican administrations in the undermining of workers’ rights and civil rights and civil liberties should be seriously addressed.
TV Drama on Iraq Tells Us More About Hollywood
A significant percentage of the U.S. news stories about Iraq in the past couple of days have been stories about a fictional TV series set in Iraq – 'Over There,' which debuted on the FX Network on Wednesday night. Much has been made of the idea that this is the first such series about a war to air during the actual fighting of that war (apparently we've already all forgoten the Jessica Lynch series and the Colin-Condi-Dick-and-Don Show).
Bush Stonewalls, Demands Rubber Stamp on Roberts Nomination
After revelations that Judge John Roberts misrepresented his membership and role in the extremely conservative, judicially activist Federalist Society, the White House continues to withhold key documents related to his ideological views on overturning key legal principles considered settled by most Americans.
US military lawyers’ warnings against torture ignored
Senior US military lawyers had strongly opposed the harsh interrogation methods against foreign terror suspects in 2003, but their voices were neglected by the US government, according to newly declassified documents. Rather than listening carefully to the lawyers’ opinions, President Bush had authority to order excessive interrogations of prisoners at the US naval base of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Brazilian Government Forces Multinational Pharmaceutical Company to Back Down over AIDS Medications
On June 24, Brazil issued an ultimatum to the Illinois-based pharmaceutical corporation Abbott Laboratories that it must lower the price it charged for the AIDS medication Kaletra, or the government would move to break the patent and manufacture the drug generically in its own laboratories. Abbott was given ten days to respond with a more favorable price, and on July 9, media reports indicated that it had reached an agreement with Brazil.
Events in Turkey
Members of the Patriotic Front held a demonstration on June 18 for the anniversary of the opening of Incirlik Military Base, which has been under the US control since its foundation. Patriots gathered in front of the Galatasaray High School on the Istiklal Street with banners and TKP flags.
Cuba: Far From Crisis, Economy Will Grow 9% in 2005
President Fidel Castro rejected rumors that Cuba is experiencing an economic crisis, explaining that the Cuban capacity for resistance actually allowed the economy to grow 7.3 % in the first six months, despite drought and scarce energy, and all indications show an expected 9 percent growth for the year.
