Climax in Cleveland expected to be Trump’s acceptance speech, but Peter Thiel’s “more capitalism, less democracy” message may overshadow Donald…..--Trump steps on his own publicity, with reckless comments about NATO and threat to pull out of NAFTA “in a split second”
--Peter Thiel was Paypal cofounder, Facebook investor; the gay billionaire who funded Hulk’s Gawker lawsuit here’s a takedown by Ben Tarnoff in The Guardian, and here’s a nastier takedown from The Intercept, owned by Thiel’s former partner in Paypal Pierre Omidyar
--at Shadowproof, Kevin Gosztola says reporters in Cleveland seem disappointed at lack of violence so far
--from Philadelphia, reports of convention rules to misdirect and stifle Sanders supporters
--your humble host has left the Democratic Party, again, reclaiming his political independence
--ultraconservative appeals court rules that Texas photo voter ID law is discriminatory, but doesn’t overturn it
--after 14+ years, author of Guantanamo Diary Mohamedou Slahi is cleared for release to native Mauritania
--at ConsortiumNews, Robert Parry continues to investigate shoot-down of MH-17, calls recent NY Times report “fraud”
--in North Miami, compliant black man is shot by cop, even though he is lying on his back with hands up in the air
--like a Cosby re-run, there are more than 20 women who charge Roger Ailes with sexual harassment
--Justice Dept. blocks mergers of health insurance giants Anthem/Cigna and Aetna/Humana
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