By The Kansas City Star Editorial Board
It’s easy to make July 4 more about fireworks than freedom.
But in many places around the world, the liberties we enjoy do not exist. It’s worth remembering the plight of citizens elsewhere who dream of freedoms now denied. Consider just four nations:
Just south of the U. S. border, in Honduras, people this week are protesting the coup that ousted an elected president. Last Sunday, the Honduran military rousted President Manuel Zelaya from sleep and put him on a plane to Costa Rica.
In Iran, despite its oil wealth, individual freedoms are considered a threat to the state, a position vividly seen in the blood streaming from Neda Agha Soltan, the murdered young woman who has become an icon to Iranians desperate for a voice in their politics.
In Zimbabwe, individual freedoms aren’t even an afterthought. The nation, not long ago the jewel of sub-Saharan Africa, has now deteriorated to the point that the cash-strapped military forces children to dig for diamonds.
And then there’s North Korea, where the government classifies its citizens as “hostile,” “wavering” or “committed” depending on how they back the government. Dictator Kim Jong Il forbids political expression, and violators face hard labor, beatings and starvation in prison.
Delicious
Digg
George Landau speaks on Honduras
"...As retired career diplomat George Landau — the former U.S. ambassador to Chile, Paraguay, and Venezuela — observes, “This was not a military coup. The military blocked an attempted civilian coup by Manuel Zelaya, as he defied Honduras’s Supreme Court, its Congress, and his own political party. Instead of calling for his reinstatement in office, we should congratulate the Honduran government on removing the president peacefully.
“So far, Washington and most of the world have missed what is happening in Tegucigalpa. This was a power play by Hugo Chávez and his ALBA colleagues. [‘ALBA’ is a leftist bloc led by Venezuela. Zelaya made Honduras a member in 2008.] We are faced with a battle between democracy and leftist autocrats who have manipulated themselves into permanent power in their countries and want to add Honduras to the list.”
What happened in Honduras was not a standard coup. The Supreme Court ordered the army to remove Zelaya from office. The Congress, albeit after his detention and exile, voted unanimously for his removal and confirmed his constitutionally mandated successor to fill the remainder of his term in office..."
- NRO
McClatchey 'perilously close to bankruptcy' - Forbes
"But in many places around the world, the liberties we enjoy do not exist."
How ironic this pathetic rag of a newspaper who actively supports administration efforts that will strip many liberties we currently enjoy and seriously reduce our standard of living has the gall to say this.
Anyhow, on to the Forbes article - I'm counting the days the Star cuts this liberal-soaked joke of a blog to save money in bankruptcy :-)))
McClatchy Needs Mercy
http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/01/mcclatchy-newpapers-miami-herald-debt-markets-bonds.html
Excerpt:
Matthew Craft, 07.01.09, 12:45 PM EDT
The country’s third-largest newspaper chain looks perilously close to bankruptcy.
"An agreement between McClatchy Co. and its banks puts the country’s third-largest newspaper chain at risk of defaulting on its debt by the end of the year, according to credit analysts. If that happens, Bank of America and other creditors could either show leniency and rework the terms of their agreement or push the publisher of 30 daily newspapers, including the Miami Herald and Sacramento Bee, into bankruptcy."
"But a major attempt to cut its debts came up short. The company had asked bondholders to hand over $1.15 billion in existing bonds for $60 million in cash and $175 million in new notes. Last Friday, McClatchy announced that bondholders had offered only $102.9 million. One possible explanation: bondholders have hedged their bets with credit default contracts, a form of insurance on bonds. McClatchy’s proposal amounted to 25 cents to 33 cents on every dollar; credit default contracts usually pay a full dollar."
"Banks may see little reason to give the newspaper owner more time to raise earnings or trim its debts, especially after its exchange offer failed to sway many bondholders. Its 7.125% notes currently yield 92%. From a bank’s perspective, that cash rewarding bondholders could be better used paying down its loans, Lombard said."
Good article, the Honduras
Good article, the Honduras reference is not a good one. The President was trying to tear up the constitution an make himself President for life, they needed this guy out. You can tell it was a good move by who is against it, Castro, Chavez, and Obama!