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PBC News & Comment: Catching Up After 10 Days Away

Federal appeals court finally declares the obvious: bulk collection of phone records is illegal, but Mitch McConnell is oblivious….

–media promotes false narrative that Congress is making real reforms to domestic surveillance

–McConnell gets desperate, says full renewal of Patriot Act is needed so US doesn’t “go dark”

–new poll shows broad bipartisan support for surveillance reform

–Senate Dems showed moment of promise, as all but one Dem voted against TPP cloture vote—then most flipped in less than 24 hours after pressure from Obama

–rival biker gangs shoot it out in Waco, 9 killed and 18 injured

–Obama visits Camden, NJ announces new ban on transfer of military gear to local cops

–death sentences for Tsarnaev in Boston and Morsi in Cairo show that US has veneer of justice leading to same barbaric outcome

–as US brags about strikes that killed #2 IS leaders in Syria and Iraq, Iraqi forces yield Ramadi to IS, following release of taped message from al Baghdadi

–following Camp David meetup with promises of more US arms, Saudis threaten to buy nuke weapons from Pakistan

–Saudis have beheaded 85 so far this year, hiring more executioners

–Assad government is reportedly using crude chlorine chemical weapons, further complicating Obama’s “red line”

–Pope Francis announces Vatican recognition of Palestine and hosts Abbas, calling him “angel of peace”; Raul Castro thanks Frankie for brokering deal with US