Photo, left:  Several of the bright, determined, mop-headed children who, using a vehicle named Scholarism, are saving democracy in Hong Kong.  Joshua Wong (left) and Agnes Chow (right).
JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW
Co-hosts: Gordon Chang, Forbes.com & Daily Beast. 
Hour One
Wednesday   23 March 2016 / Hour 1, Block A:    Fraser Howie, co-author of Red Capitalism: The Fragile Financial Foundation of China's Extraordinary Rise, in re:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-20/china-has-a-590-billion-receivables-problem-as-bills-go-unpaid
Wednesday   23 March 2016 / Hour 1, Block B:  Evan Ellis, professor of Latin American Studies at the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute, in re: http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-competes-with-china-for-influence-in-cuba-1458293405 ; http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/lifestyle/2016/03/18/chinese-military-space-station-in-remote-argentina-shrouded-in-mystery/ ; http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2016/03/16/argentina-sinks-chinese-boat-fishing-illegally-in-its-waters-beijing-seriously/
Wednesday   23 March 2016 / Hour 1, Block C: Richard A Epstein, Hoover, and Chicago & NYU Law; in re:  The phrase that changed the politics of Supreme Court nominations was Senator Edward Kennedy’s famous and shameful denunciation of “Robert Bork’s America,” with its back alley abortions, segregated lunch counters, and rogue police. From that point on, Supreme Court nominees of either party, and even potential nominees, have risked being attacked in a similar manner. The nomination process of Clarence Thomas was, of course, quite ugly—and there were major tussles during the deliberations over John Roberts and Samuel Alito (who then Senator Obama wanted to filibuster). Now, the Republican opposition is coalescing against Judge Merrick Garland. But the resistance to Garland may prove to be misguided . . . http://www.hoover.org/research/merrick-garland-political-pawn  (1 of 2)
Wednesday   23 March 2016 / Hour 1, Block D:  Richard A Epstein, Hoover, and Chicago & NYU Law; in re:  The phrase that changed the politics of Supreme Court nominations was Senator Edward Kennedy’s famous and shameful denunciation of “Robert Bork’s America,” with its back alley abortions, segregated lunch counters, and rogue police. From that point on, Supreme Court nominees of either party, and even potential nominees, have risked being attacked in a similar manner. The nomination process of Clarence Thomas was, of course, quite ugly—and there were major tussles during the deliberations over John Roberts and Samuel Alito (who then Senator Obama wanted to filibuster). Now, the Republican opposition is coalescing against Judge Merrick Garland. But the resistance to Garland may prove to be misguided . . .   http://www.hoover.org/research/merrick-garland-political-pawn  (2 of 2)
 
Hour Two
Wednesday   23 March 2016 / Hour 2, Block A:  Charles Burton, professor at Brock University, in re: At a politically delicate moment a Chinese website calls for Xi Jinping to resign, as having been an ineffective international and domestic-ec0nomic leader; and adding in a barely-veiled way that his family is in physical danger if he doesn’t.  “Xi Jingping: Hello.  We are loyal Communists; we ask you to resign from all Party and State institutions.  . . .”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/03/16/government-linked-website-published-then-pulled-call-for-president-xis-resignation/
http://www.ibtimes.com/chinese-columnist-jia-jia-linked-letter-calling-xi-jinpings-resignation-detained-2339995
Wednesday   23 March 2016 / Hour 2, Block B:  Mike Davis, professor at Hong Kong University Law School, in re: Students in China have historically driven the discussions for reform, including in the historic May Fourth Movement.  Today in Hong Kong. Beijing’s abject failure to live up to its commitments to Hong Kong in the Basic Law has generated a great deal of student activism, including Scholarism.    . . .  Scholarism ‘suspends operations’ to form new student group and political party   Student group Scholarism has announced the suspension of its operations to make way for the formation of a new student group and a political party.
Scholarism, which was formed in May 2011, said that it had been thinking about its future position since the end of the pro-democracy occupy movement in 2014. It said that its model of supporting political movements and student movements simultaneously needed to be changed.
“A highly political Scholarism made us hard to get into schools to educate and organise secondary school students; as a student group it is hard for Scholarism to handle a self-determination movement which will last for dozens of years,” it said in a statement. Convenor Joshua Wong Chi-fung said that he was able to visit almost 30 schools to give talks during summer breaks before the occupy movement, but he only went to one afterwards. Protesters would target him outside school premises, causing others to cancel appointments, he said. After deliberation between members, it was decided that the group will suspend its operations though not disband.
Eyes on LegCo  A new political party to be formed next month was previously announced by some ten members including Wong and former spokesperson Agnes Chow Ting. The group will push for a referendum on Hong Kong’s future. Meanwhile, a new student group will also be formed in around six months time, headed by spokesperson Prince Wong Ji-yuet.
“The new student group will not intentionally politicise itself, as we wish for a new image, to drop the burden of the past, and focus on works about students,” Prince Wong said. “But if there are any [political] educational issues coming, such as TSA tests and teaching Chinese in Mandarin, we will continue to follow up.”
Of the 120 current members, 30 have expressed wishes to move to the new student group, though Scholarism has not consulted every member yet.
Joshua Wong denied that a split in political ideals led to the group being broken up into two new organisations.
“Every issue is related to politics – but the political party will focus on discussions on political reform and advocacy, while the student group will focus on educational issues or civic education,” Joshua Wong said.  . . .  .
Mike Davis’s op-ed and https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/03/20/scholarism-suspends-operations-to-form-new-student-group-and-political-party/ ; https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/02/17/from-the-streets-to-seats-scholari...
Wednesday   23 March 2016 / Hour 2, Block C:  Sadanand Dhume, AEI, in re:  India Awaits an Advocate of Reforms and The Thread That Bound the World (his two most recent articles in The Wall Street Journal).
Wednesday   23 March 2016 / Hour 2, Block D:  Bruce Bechtol, San Angelo State University (Texas), in re:  As North Korea Acts Out, a Search for Kim Jong Un's Motives ;
North Korea watchers haven't been getting much sleep this year. The Kim Jong Un regime . . .  ; North Korean troops fighting in Syrian civil war, delegate says ; Exclusive: UN lifts North Korea sanctions on four ships at China's request.    http://thediplomat.com/2016/03/is-north-korea-fighting-for-assad-in-syria/
 
Hour Three
Wednesday   23 March 2016 / Hour 3, Block A:  Monica Crowley, Fox, & Washington Times Online opinion editor; in re:   Poll: Kasich, Cruz lead Clinton head-to-head 
 
Clinton, however, leads Trump in a hypothetical matchup by 11 points.





Blog Briefing Room
Man who shot Gabby Giffords sues her for distress 
 
Loughner claims he I innocent and demands $25 million in damages.





Ballot Box
Poll: Clinton leads Sanders by 6 in Wisconsin 
 
This is an important state for Sanders, who trails in delegates.





Defense
Report: 400 ISIS fighters trained to attack Europe    Intel officials claim the fighters are in cells that can choose when and where to attack.





National Security
Lawmakers warn of 'radical' move by NSA to share information 
 
Reps. Ted Lieu and Blake Farenthold said the policy shift could be unconstitutional.





Defense
US official: Gitmo transfers have resulted in American deaths . 
Paul Lewis told lawmakers he could provide more details in a classified setting.





Ballot Box
Report: Reid tells Dems to ‘never, ever, ever underestimate Trump’ 
 
Reid also called Trump "one of the most unorthodox candidates for the presidency in modern times . . .   (1 of 4)
Wednesday   23 March 2016 / Hour 3, Block B:  Monica Crowley, Fox, & Washington Times Online opinion editor; in re:  the unusual events of current domestic politics  (2 of 4)  
Wednesday   23 March 2016 / Hour 3, Block C:  Monica Crowley, Fox, & Washington Times Online opinion editor; in re: the unusual events of current domestic politics, including Bill Clinton’s unexpected attack on Pres Obama    (3 of 4)
Wednesday   23 March 2016 / Hour 3, Block D:  Monica Crowley, Fox, & Washington Times Online opinion editor;  in re: the unusual events of current domestic politics, including Paul Ryan    (4 of 4)  
Hour Four
Wednesday   23 March 2016 / Hour 4, Block A:  Aaron Klein, Middle East bureau chief, Breitbart; in re: Israel Recently Warned Belgium of Security Lapses At Airport — Report ; The Times of Israel reports: Israel reportedly warned Belgian officials of the numerous security failings at the Brussels airport weeks before a series of deadly bomb blasts ripped through the site on Tuesday. Israeli security officials tasked with assessing safety
Wednesday   23 March 2016 / Hour 4, Block B:  Aaron Klein, Middle East bureau chief, Breitbart; in re: 90 more suciide bombers “ready to explode” in EuropE – Breitbart.com: The mastermind of the November 2015 Paris attacks told an acquaintance that he was the commander of 90 “kamikazes-in-waiting” who infiltrated Europe to carry out terrorist attacks, according to information contained in a 55-page report compiled by French anti-terrorism officials.
The report was leaked to the New York Times, which published the startling details on Saturday. The report is newly relevant in light of the Islamic State’s Tuesday terror attacks in Brussels that killed at least 31 people and wounded at least 270 others. The French report included details of a meeting between the Paris mastermind, Abdelhamid Abaaoud; his first cousin, 26-year-old Hasna Aitboulahcen; and a friend of Aitboulahcen’s.   . . .
Wednesday   23 March 2016 / Hour 1, Block C: Richard A Epstein, Hoover, and Chicago & NYU Law; in re:  The phrase that changed the politics of Supreme Court nominations was Senator Edward Kennedy’s famous and shameful denunciation of “Robert Bork’s America,” with its back alley abortions, segregated lunch counters, and rogue police. From that point on, Supreme Court nominees of either party, and even potential nominees, have risked being attacked in a similar manner. The nomination process of Clarence Thomas was, of course, quite ugly—and there were major tussles during the deliberations over John Roberts and Samuel Alito (who then Senator Obama wanted to filibuster). Now, the Republican opposition is coalescing against Judge Merrick Garland. But the resistance to Garland may prove to be misguided . . . http://www.hoover.org/research/merrick-garland-political-pawn  (1 of 2)
Wednesday   23 March 2016 / Hour 1, Block D:  Richard A Epstein, Hoover, and Chicago & NYU Law; in re:  The phrase that changed the politics of Supreme Court nominations was Senator Edward Kennedy’s famous and shameful denunciation of “Robert Bork’s America,” with its back alley abortions, segregated lunch counters, and rogue police. From that point on, Supreme Court nominees of either party, and even potential nominees, have risked being attacked in a similar manner. The nomination process of Clarence Thomas was, of course, quite ugly—and there were major tussles during the deliberations over John Roberts and Samuel Alito (who then Senator Obama wanted to filibuster). Now, the Republican opposition is coalescing against Judge Merrick Garland. But the resistance to Garland may prove to be misguided . . .   http://www.hoover.org/research/merrick-garland-political-pawn  (2 of 2)..  ..  ..