HONG KONG: Democracy Protest Swells, Police Respond With Tear Gas

Via the Washington Post:

Swelling crowds of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong on Monday plunged Asia’s normally staid financial hub into a tense standoff with Beijing that strikes directly at China’s expanding political grip in the former British colony. The rapidly escalating demonstrations are aimed at forcing Beijing’s Communist leaders to abandon newly declared powers to weed out any candidates in upcoming Hong Kong elections. Yet many on the streets proclaimed they are fighting for something even bigger: preserving a vision of Hong Kong promised 14 years ago when it reverted to Chinese rule. At the time, Chinese leaders promised a state within a state: allowing special hands-off provisions for Hong Kong such as elections and a degree of self-rule in policy making. But protesters now accuse China of reneging on the deal and trying to exert its control over every aspect of Hong Kong’s political affairs. The mounting protests present a conundrum for Beijing. Too hard a crackdown could drive more people to the pro-democracy cause, and that would embarrass Chinese authorities, who would never permit such a challenge on the mainland. Yet, by the same token, allowing the protesters some room risks encouraging others to question Communist control in the rest of the country over such issues as media freedoms, economic development and minority rights.

SPAIN: King Carlos Abdicates For Son

After a nearly 40-year reign, Spain's King Juan Carlos has surrendered his throne to his son.

Juan Carlos, whose health is failing and has had a number of hip operations in recent years, is stepping down for personal reasons, Mariano Rajoy said on Monday. "His majesty, King Juan Carlos, has just communicated to me his will to give up the throne," Rajoy said. "I found the king convinced that this is the best moment to change the head of state in all normality and for the transition of the crown to the Prince of Asturias (Prince Felipe)," he said. Prince Felipe, a former Olympic yachtsman, has been relatively unscathed by the scandals that battered others in the family. Once popular Juan Carlos, 76, who helped smooth Spain's transition to democracy in the 1970s after the Francisco Franco dictatorship, has lost public support in recent years due to corruption scandals and gaffes.

After the abdication news broke last night, tens of thousands poured into the streets of cities across Spain to demand a referendum on abolishing the monarchy.

"Democracy Is Dead"

Iran Deploys Riot Police

Now Vs. Then

Mubarak NOT Stepping Down

Contrary to jubilant early reports today, Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak is not stepping down, but is merely transferring some power to his number two man. Angry crowds are presently marching on the television studio where Mubarak made the below announcement less than an hour ago. I'll replace this clip with a proper network account when it becomes available.

Catholic TV Host: It's Time To End Democracy, Install Catholic Dictatorship

JMG reader Bernard tips us to this post by Pharyngula bloggger PZ Meyers:

We've been doing politics all wrong. Michael Voris has the answers. The problem with democracy is all these voters with different views on things like abortion and homosexuality, where people who vote for such things are just rotten parasites who want to destroy civilization. So he has two solutions: 1) only allow good Catholics to vote, and 2) ideally, get rid of democracy altogether and instead install a Catholic dictatorship. Really. He says that. I'm not making it up!

Watch the entire clip, you'll be awed by the asshattery. Real Catholic TV is "the world's first Catholic internet television network" with "hundreds of hours of instructional programming" that you can view "for a modest gift." They do not allow comments or ratings on their YouTube clips, of course.

UPDATE: Real Catholic TV has taken the video private, probably out of shame. And I was just about to mirror it to my own YouTube account. If anybody saved it, please email me.

Democracy Comes To DC (Probably)

Residents of Washington DC will at last have representation in Congress. Probably.

By a vote of 61-37, the Senate passed a bill providing full voting representation for the nation’s capital in the House of Representatives, nearly ensuring that the measure will become law this time around. While advocates were declaring victory already, a court fight almost definitely looms over the constitutionality of giving the District of Columbia voting privileges in the House that are akin to those of the 50 states. The measure, if it became law, would increase the size of the House of Representatives to 437 from 435, adding not only a seat from the District of Columbia but also one from Utah. The Western seat was added in a compromise deal a few years back, to help attract Republican support and because officials contended that the state was deprived of an additional congressional district through an undercount in the 2000 Census. (Also Utah’s Republican lean would also help balance out the normally Democratic tilt of the district.)

The House is expected to approve their version of the bill, as they have done before. President Obama is expected to sign on. But there will still likely be a court battle because the Constitution limits representation in Congress to states only. Getting the required 38 of the states to approve an amendment specifically allowing an additional district for DC would prove quite cumbersome, if it could be done at all. Opponents have suggested giving DC back to Maryland or just allowing residents to vote for Maryland's congressional candidates. Arlington and part of Alexandria were given back to Virginia in 1846, which is why DC no longer has its nifty original square shape. We are the only democracy in the world in which residents of the capital city cannot vote on representation in the legislature.