Obama’s pick to run GOP’s passive-aggressive gauntlet to Supreme Court is pro-government, anti-defendant centrist Merrick Garland…--while fully supporting Obama’s right to nominate Scalia’s replacement, your humble host is disappointed in his nominee
--Scott Horton of Harper’s renews the call for Obama to pardon Don Siegelman
--emboldened by Florida and other primary wins, Trump the bully threatens riots if GOP insiders try to block his nomination
--big night for Clinton, with big wins in Florida and Ohio, tight victory in Illinois, and virtual tie in Missouri; but it’s not over for Sanders
--if it’s Trump vs. Clinton, we will have a majority of votes cast against candidates, not for them
--John Perkins, author of New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, says he believes that every person who becomes president is compromised, in new in-depth interview
--new twist in Brazil’s political and economic crisis, as former president Lula de Silva joins cabinet of his embattled protégé, Dilma Rousseff
--as Americans are distracted by the election and domestic squabbles, Putin has out-maneuvered Obama in Syria, defying “quagmire” prediction
--paving the way for Obama’s visit to Cuba next week, US relaxes banking and baseball rules
--in virulent immigration debate, nobody mentions the 43,000 Cubans who have entered via the Mexican border in last year
--in surprise move, Senate defeats GMO label pre-emption bill pushed by Monsanto
--newest internet threat is “ransomware”, which can be picked up at major websites like NY Times and BBC
--House hearing seeks to place full blame on EPA for Flint water poisoning
--California water wars continue as drought eases: LA water district is buying Delta islands in north for water rights; Westlands district near Fresno draws rare rebuke from SEC over misleading investors
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