The following are excerpts from newspapers from around the world which may be of interest to readers of The Royal Gazette.The Birmingham (Ala.) News, on flag desecration amendment“Constitutional vandalism.” That’s what The New York Times calls a proposed amendment to the US Constitution that would ban desecration of the US flag.

That’s strong language — and unfair. The flag desecration amendment’s supporters in Congress have followed the rules in the many attempts they have made to get the amendment passed. They just haven’t been successful.

The hope is that they’ll fail this year, too.

While the amendment to prohibit burning or trashing Old Glory is popular, it is misguided. ...

Sure, burning or tearing up the US flag out of spite or anger is a despicable act. ... But if we believe what the flag represents — freedom, democracy, the right to independent thought and speech — it would be a disservice to the flag itself to alter the Constitution on its behalf.

There are compelling reasons why senators, including Alabama’s Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions, should vote against the amendment:

It is rare the US flag is even desecrated in protest anymore. ...

Since 1789, the US Constitution has been amended only 27 times ...

The flag desecration amendment would be the first to put limits on the First Amendment protection of free speech. ...(Spartanburg) Herald Journal, on Tom DeLay’s farewell address to US HouseFormer House Majority Leader Tom DeLay gave his farewell speech to the US House, praising the Republican majority for holding back liberalism. If only it were true. ...

DeLay acts as if it is still 1994 and the GOP has just taken over Congress with the promise to balance the budget, fix the ethical problems and pare down the size and burden of the federal government. He ignores the truth of Republican rule of Congress. That truth is that the Republicans have turned into the kind of congressional majority they once opposed. ...

Republicans have cut taxes. But they have not cut spending. In fact, they have increased spending. Contrary to their promises of cutting waste and pork-barrel spending, they have increased pork spending to new levels. ...

To be fair, the Republican Congress has had its accomplishments, including balancing the budget in its early years and reforming welfare. But, particularly in recent years, the Republican majority has seemed to embrace rather than oppose the growth of government and its power.

As DeLay said: “If conservatives don’t stand up to liberalism, no one will.”The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News, on doing away with the pennySo, what do you do with your pennies? The US Mint in Philadelphia produces nearly 100 million pennies every week, or about 5 billion a year. There are an estimated 150 billion pennies in circulation, if you consider billions of pennies resting in millions of jars for years on end in circulation.

It is particularly important to note in this discussion that it now costs more than a penny to make a penny, about 1.4 cents to be precise. This is due in large part be cause the price of zinc has been soaring of late. In case you are wondering, the “copper” penny consists of 97.4 percent zinc and 2.5 percent copper, and has since 1962.

The mint is expected to lose about $13 million making pennies this year. ...

Despite all of these negatives, polls suggest Americans are not ready to part with the penny, fearing they will be ripped off and prices will go up, which actually is highly unlikely.