The G-20 Protests: Today's News for July 7th

Fox News:

G-20 protesters clash with police in Germany

Thousands of anti-capitalist protesters fought with police in Hamburg, Germany, Thursday ahead of the G-20 summit where President Donald Trump and other world leaders will be meeting.

Police in Hamburg were seen using water cannons and tear gas to control the crowd of "Welcome to Hell" demonstrators that mounted to thousands by the evening. Violence broke out at a riverside plaza in the city, where people gathered earlier before starting their march through the city.

Black-hooded protesters attacked a police vehicle with bottles and bricks, breaking its window. Several people were also seen climbing over a wall as others stood in groups, holding up signs.

Police said they repeatedly asked a group of hardcore demonstrators to remove their masks, but with no luck. Dozens of police officers created a blockade to separate the hooded protesters from the demonstration.

Police estimated there were 12,000 people in total at the demonstration Thursday. Authorities also said organizers of the demonstration, intended to be a march, called off the event once violence broke out.

More than 100,000 protesters are expected to be in the city during the two-day summit, according to police. Some 8,000 of them are considered to be part of Europe's violent left-wing group.

What "violent left-wing group"? The article never answers that question.

So what does the Left have to say about this?

CNN:

Protests kick off for second day ahead of G20 summit

Members of the "Color The Red Zone" protest said they were trying to make it difficult for G20 participants to travel to the talks.

Note the "red zone" is described as a "blocked-off area close to the summit venue".

Continuing:

"We are living in a democracy and the red zone is not a democracy," said Karl S, a student protester from Düsseldorf who declined to give his full name.

"I'm sure we can't stop all these leaders from meeting but if we can stop them from getting their food or catering shortly we've achieved something," he said.

Christian, one of the protests organizers who also declined to give his surname, said the "point is to disturb the G20."

"It's not right that a few countries get to decide what happens to the rest of the world at this summit," he said.

There is just one problem with that last statement:

The Group of 20, which includes 19 countries and the European Union, accounts for approximately 80% of global GDP. Around two-thirds of the world's population live in a G20 country.

That sounds like a pretty solid majority of the world. It is unclear who these protesters are trying to represent.

In other news...

CBS News:

Walter Shaub says America should have right to know motivations of its leaders

Walter Shaub, Jr., the director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), has been a unique voice. In his position, he's taken on his boss, President Trump, publicly. But on Thursday, he gave up, and announced he is resigning from his position.

"I really felt like I've achieved all I can achieve under current circumstances," Shaub told CBS News' Julianna Goldman Thursday, in his first television interview since announcing his resignation.

He says that unless Mr. Trump eliminates all financial ties to his businesses, the American people can never be certain his policy decisions are based on what's best for the country.

"Do you think the president and his family are using the office to enrich themselves?" Goldman asked Shaub.

"I can't know what their intention is," Shaub said. "I know that the effect is that there's an appearance that the businesses are profiting from his occupying the presidency. And appearance matters as much as reality. So even aside from whether or not that's actually happening, we need to send a message to the world that the United States is gonna have the gold standard for an ethics program in government, which is what we've always had."

Shaub makes some valid points. However, his last statement is questionable. As long as politicians are beholden to their campaign donors, then any talk of a "gold standard for an ethics program in government" is premature. Just doing it better than anyone else does not mean you are doing it well.

Finally, in today's news...

Battle Creek Enquirer:

Are goats taking jobs from union workers?

A battle is brewing at Western Michigan University this summer between a group of hungry goats and a labor union.

The 400-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees has filed a grievance contending that the work the goats are doing in a wooded lot is taking away jobs from laid-off union workers.

...The grievance alleges that the university did not notify the union that it was planning to use goat crews on campus, according to a chief steward report supplied to the Battle Creek Enquirer.

University spokeswoman Cheryl Roland said a small goat crew has been on campus this summer, but not to cut grass.

"For the second summer in a row, we've brought in a goat crew to clear undergrowth in a woodlot, much of it poison ivy and other vegetation that is a problem for humans to remove," Roland said. "Not wanting to use chemicals, either, we chose the goat solution to stay environmentally friendly.

Personally, I think the union is just looking for a scapegoat.

(hat tip to Pinterest for the pic)