Today’s Links: April 23, 2012

OPINION

STEVEN CHAPMAN: “Killing the Dream
“They sound like a group custom-built and poll-tested to appeal to Republicans: hardworking youngsters with a powerful attachment to America, upright habits and a thirst to join the Army or enroll at State U. But the potential beneficiaries of the Dream Act are getting no love from the GOP.”

MICHAEL BARONE: “Liberal Nostalgiacs Don’t Understand Jobs of the Future
“I don’t know how many times I’ve seen liberal commentators look back with nostalgia to the days when a young man fresh out of high school or military service could get a well-paying job on an assembly line at a unionized auto factory that could carry him through to a comfortable retirement. As it happens, I grew up in Detroit and for a time lived next door to factory workers. And I know something that has eluded the liberal nostalgiacs. Which is that people hated those jobs.”

DAN WALTERS: “Bullet Train Facts Don’t Faze Planners
“Budget subcommittees in both legislative houses conducted hearings last week on whether to appropriate money for California Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to link the northern and southern halves of the state with a high-speed bullet train. The Assembly’s hearing was, charitably, superficial. This is the largest state public works project in U.S. history, one that would cost tens of billions of dollars and divert money from a deficit-ridden state budget.”

NEWS

COPYRIGHT – German Court Ruling Against YouTube
“Google subsidiary YouTube has been ordered to remove seven song titles from its lineup of videos. This concerns any usage, even if the music is only played in the background of harmless amateur videos. The court found that YouTube was in breach of duty and thus liable for copyright infringements committed by its users. According to the verdict, GEMA can now decide which titles on YouTube have to be removed.”

SUPREME COURT – Arizona Immigration Law: States vs. Obama at Supreme Court, Again
“On April 25, the issue before the justices is whetherArizona exceeded its authority when it passed a tough immigration enforcement statute, Senate Bill 1070, designed to encourage illegal immigrants to pack up and leave. The Arizona strategy is called ‘attrition through enforcement.'”

INTERNATIONAL – U.S. Eyes Sanctions on Tech Used vs. Rebels
“President Barack Obama on Monday announced a plan to impose sanctions against foreign entities and individuals who help authoritarian regimes use technology to crackdown on dissidents.”