This week's stories of note: the Optimist; Trump and trade; George Will on today's worst person in government; a connected nation; rebellion in the US House; CIA director nominee; sanctuary state?; Trump's tariffs and savings.

Optimist, 13 May. Uplifting stories for the week. Mother's Day delayed -- 57 years; the inspiring, well-remembered teacher; the man with the life-saving golden arm; a helpful nurse for a distant birth; and more.

Trump on trade. Columnist Robert Samuelson, certainly no flaming, left-wing liberal, warns about the dangers of turning trade disagreements into trade wars. What the president, who is no economist, just a self-professed deal-maker,   seems not to understand is that the US is not necessarily the deal-maker, that  China, the TPP, and the European Union constitute a larger trading bloc than the US. Nor does he seem to realize (care ?) how much Americans, companies (other than his own) and individuals, will be affected by his threatened tariffs. (e.g. Boeing, Air Bus, and soy bean farmers, to mention just three)
     Samuelson: "Most economists believe that more protectionism would act as a drag on the world economy. Domestic prices would increase, hampering consumer spending. Greater uncertainty for businesses might impede new corporate investment." But, as Harry Truman once famously opined, "If you laid all the economists end to end, they'd point in different directions."

Vice President Pence. George Will makes the case for Pence having succeeded in passing his president as the worst of the lot. "Donald Trump, with his feral cunning, knew. The oleaginous Mike Pence, with his talent for toadyism and appetite for obsequiousness, could, Trump knew, become America’s most repulsive public figure...Because his is the authentic voice of today’s lickspittle Republican Party, he clarifies this year’s elections: Vote Republican to ratify groveling as governing."
     Certainly, but if Pence were to become president, he would at least know how our three branches operate, how to work with Congress.

10 May 1869. The east and west coasts were joined, so to speak, when the fabled golden spike was driven at Promontory Point, Utah Territory, completing the transcontinental railroad. (UT would become a state on 4 July 1896.)

House rebellion.  Next week an arcane, rarely used maneuver may play out in Washington: a rebellion against the Republic leaders in the US House, to force a floor vote on four immigration bill. If, as expected, all Democratic minority members vote for the discharge petition, only 18 Republican votes would be needed to force a floor vote, very much desired by very conservative Republicans. One CO Republican (Mike Coffman, from Auora) has said he will vote "aye." (Votes in such discharge petitions are only possible on the first and third Mondays of the month when the House is in session.) Carry on Mitch?

CIA nominee, Gina Haspel. Ms. Haspel would be the agency's first female director, an actual, real life "Judi Dench, M." ("M," Ian Flemming's fictional head of British MI-6)  Ruth Marcus discusses the pros and cons of Haspel's nomination. Her much storied service has to be weighed against her role in the much debated CIA's enhanced interrogation program and the destruction of the video tapes of those sessions.   "Senate Intelligence CommIittee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) did not exaggerate when he described Haspel, at the panel’s hearing on Wednesday, as 'the most prepared nominee in its 70-year history.' ” Then, the absent Senator McCain weighed in (via media), calling Haspel a qualified patriot whose past actions, unfortunately, disqualified her.

CA sanctuary state. Not all Californians are loving yet another of their state's unusual callings. Conservatives are pushing back.

Lewis and Clark. 14 May 1803: America's first great exploration trek began begthe intrepid explorers' party departed from near Hartford, IL, bound for the Pacific coast.

Israel. 14 May 1948: the State of Israel was proclaimed in Tel Aviv and was immediately recognized by the United States.

Trump tariffs and savings. In a move that stunned both US and Chinese officials, President Trump appears to be taking steps to rescue TZE, a major Chinese telecom company, with operations in both the US and China. ¿Qué pasa, Dude?

Thank you for reading. Enjoy the royal wedding!