SCROTUS^* are embarrassed after being caught defending sale of confederate flags in US national parks. So the Democrats offered a deal: they will agree to stop trying to ban those flag sales, if the Republicans agree to fix the Voting Rights Act.

The Voting Rights Act, which was designed to stop racists from blocking blacks from voting, is substantive, whereas the flags are a symbolic issue. The Voting Rights Act effectively blocked some kind of voter suppression until the Supreme Court reinterpreted it. Changing the text of the law would restore that lost effectiveness.

^* SCROTUS: Sleazy Congressional Republicans Of The United States

George Monbiot: The real 'struggle of our generation' is not terrorism — in fact, that's way down on the list.

Turkey blocked Twitter to shut down criticism of the government.

I think the protesters are being irrational, in that no government can prevent specific bombings; at most it can make them more difficult and less common. I've seen accusations that Turkey secretly supported PISSI^* in the past, and if that secretly continues, protesting against that would make sense, but that's a different issue.

PISSI: Pseudo-Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

The EU is becoming an instrument of oppression.

George Monbiot: The euro's financial system is purpose-built to keep most people in poverty. What used to be done to third-world countries is now happening to Greece.

"Everything good about the EU is in retreat; everything bad is on the rampage." He is coming to think that it is a force for evil.

Every political structure that obeys the plutocrats magnifies their force for evil.

I have said since 2005 that the EU is undemocratic and should either be made democratic or abolished.

Exiting the EU <5>would not guarantee an end to right-wing policies in any given country, but it would enable a country to make another choice.

The US decreased greenhouse gas emissions 11% during the recession, mainly caused by decreased economic activity.

I don't believe it follows that growth can occur only through increased emissions. An all-out campaign for renewable energy would produce lots of growth while reducing emissions. However, the fossil fool lobby won't permit this.