Congress hangs in for Old Glory
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.What do the Stars and Stripes, the Northern Spotted Owl, the Ku Klux Klan, Oriental-style noodles and Turkish pasta have in common?
They have all been high in the order of business this week of those entrusted with managing the world's most powerful democracy - a sure sign that Washington's summer silly season is upon us.
In Congress, the House of Representatives voted to change the words of the US Constitution for the 28th time since the founding of the Republic by introducing an amendment making it a crime to desecrate the American flag.
Just why Congress has decided to do this, especially as only three flag burnings have been reported nationwide in the last two years, no one in Congress quite knew. Nor did anybody know what the exact legal definition of "desecrate" might be. Across the road at the Supreme Court, the nation's nine most venerable men of law handed down two important constitutional rulings yesterday morning, one guaranteeing "comprehensive protection" to Oregon's northern spotted owl and another granting the Ku Klux Klan the right to erect a large wooden cross in a public square in Ohio.
Thus, with admirable fair-mindedness, did the good judges succeed in placating both the bunny-hugging liberals and the black-hating fascists.
Officials over at the US International Trade Commission, meanwhile, have been engaged in an investigation into complaints by American pasta manufacturers that rival imports from both Italy and Turkey are unfairly undercutting domestic profits. American spaghetti-makers say that the Italians and Turks receive subsidies from their government to encourage exports of pasta and, they claim, oriental-style noodles.
Once the ITC has finished its deliberations, it will pass its findings to the Commerce Department, where a decision will be taken whether to prepare the Mediterranean fleet for an outbreak of pasta war.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments