Top Political News: May 31, 2012

Bill Internicola, a 91-yar-old World War II veteran, was born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., and now lives in Florida's Broward County. He recently received a letter from county elections officials asking him to show proof he was a U.S. citizen or be removed from the voting rolls.
Internicola says he was "flabbergasted."
"To me, it's like an insult," he says. "They sent me a form to fill out. And I filled out the form and I sent it back to them with a copy of my discharge paper and a copy of my tour of duty in the ETO, which is the European Theater of Operations."
"Why is this happening less than three months before an election?" Deutch said. "Why is there only a 30-day period for people to be able to respond? It looks like there is an effort to purge a large number of voters from the rolls whether they're eligible voters or not."

http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/05/31/154020289/world-war-ii-vet-caught-up-in-floridas-voter-purge-controversy?ft=1&f=1014

The White House, most Democrats, abortion rights groups and some Asian-American organizations opposed the bill, saying it could lead to racial profiling of Asian-American women and subject doctors who do not report suspected sex-selection abortions to criminal charges.
"The administration opposes gender discrimination in all forms, but the end result of this legislation would be to subject doctors to criminal prosecution if they fail to determine the motivations behind a very personal and private decision," White House spokeswoman Jamie Smith said in a statement. "The government should not intrude in medical decisions or private family matters in this way."

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/31/154074122/ban-on-sex-selection-abortion-up-for-house-vote?ft=1&f=1014

Poised to triumphantly clinch the Republican nomination for president, Romney instead was upstaged Tuesday by supporter Donald Trump's new birther-on-steroids shtick that stole the headlines and the candidate's big moment.
Then on Thursday, ready to embarrass President Obama by holding a "surprise" press event in front of Solyndra, the Obama-touted California solar energy company that failed after getting a $535 million government loan guarantee, Romney was upstaged yet again.
This time, by not one, but two events the cable news channels carried live during and after his photo-op event: Obama hosting former President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush for the unveiling of their official portraits — a good humored affair that was just the second time the former president has been back in the White House since his term ended.
And then? Wall-to-wall coverage of a potential verdict in the John Edwards' political corruption trial.
The news Thursday was also filled with reports that a federal appeals court had found unconstitutional the Defense of Marriage Act that bars same sex marriage.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/05/31/154086783/romneys-week-upstaged-time-and-again?ft=1&f=1014

Retail giant Wal-Mart became the latest, and possibly highest-profile corporation to drop its membership in the American Legislative Exchange Council. The conservative group helped replicate Florida's Stand Your Ground gun law in other states.

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/31/154093271/wal-mart-to-leave-conservative-legislative-group?ft=1&f=1014

In 2008, Powell endorsed Barack Obama. He has not endorsed anyone yet this election cycle, but he was unabashedly critical of Romney.
"For example, when Gov. Romney not too long ago said the Russian Federation is our No. 1 geostrategic threat — well, c'mon, Mitt. I think that isn't the case," Powell said.
Powell also criticized Romney for filling his campaign with neoconservative advisers.

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/31/154085970/romneys-foreign-policy-views-comfort-unsettle-gop?ft=1&f=1014

Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens said Wednesday night he expects that the court has already had second thoughts about parts of its controversial Citizens United ruling that eased restrictions on corporate spending in political campaigns.
The sharply divided court ruled that independent spending by corporations does "not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption." Stevens, who dissented from that 2010 decision, said that at some point the court will have to issue an opinion "explicitly crafting an exception that will create a crack in the foundation" of that ruling.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501363_162-57444204/stevens-second-thoughts-likely-in-citizens-united/

The setup of the 17-country euro currency union is unsustainable, the head of the European Central Bank has told EU leaders, warning they must quickly come up with a broad vision for the future to get the bloc through the current financial crisis.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-05/D9V3RA5G0.htm

The U.N. human rights chief is calling for an independent investigation into last week's slaughter of dozens of civilians in the Syrian town of Houla, as activists on Friday reported the killing of at least 12 more civilians. 

http://www.voanews.com/content/un-rights-body-discuss-syrian-slaughter/1145957.html