Good Thursday morning. We’re trying a slightly different approach today. Let us know if you like it. In fact, feel free to share your thoughts about any and all things newsletters. We’ve been known to send a goodie or two. Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door.
Brazil politics
Dilma Rousseff better get to polishing her LinkedIn profile.
Why? Brazil’s Senate voted to boot her – a blow not just to Rousseff, the country’s first female president, but to the fortunes of her leftist Workers’ Party, which has governed for more than a decade.
But why? Rousseff’s accused of massaging government accounts, filling holes by taking loans from state banks without congress saying it was OK.
But really, why? Brazil’s in the midst of a mother of all slumps. The constitution doesn’t allow a no-confidence vote. So, impeachment was one way to go.
So, now what? We haven’t seen the last of Rousseff. A motion to bar her from holding public office failed. For now, the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party will take over. It’s not exactly squeaky clean either.
NC voter ID law
The Supreme Court has denied North Carolina’s request to reinstate its uber-restrictive voting rights law.
Why? The 4-4 deadlocked justices didn’t say why.
But really, why? For that, let’s revisit what a federal appeals court said when it struck down the law, sending the case to the Supremes:
It was an attempt by NC’s Republican legislature to “target African Americans with almost surgical precision.”
It required voter ID even though not one single person has ever been charged with in-person voter fraud in NC.
It reduced early voting from 17 days to 10. African-Americans “disproportionately used the first seven days of early voting.”
It exempted absentee voting by mail – something more whites than blacks use AND where there was evidence of fraud.
Campaign 2016
In a speech last night, Donald Trump cleared up the confusion swirling around his immigration policy. Kind of.
What’s in: Those who commit crimes are definitely out. Kind of like what the US already does.
What’s out (we think!): A deportation force to round up all 11 million undocumented immigrants. No mention of that.
What’s in: The wall — and Mexico paying for it. Funny thing is he didn’t talk about the whole payment thing when he met with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto earlier in the day. Would’ve have been a great time to bring it up.
Migrant crisis
If he were alive today, Alan Kurdi would have been 4 years old. it’s been a year since he washed up on that beach, a limp body clad in a red shirt and blue shorts. He was one of tens of thousands of kids forced to make that perilous journey across the Mediterranean. What happened to them? Here are the stories of the one who made it, and the ones who perished.
Storms
Florida is hurricane alley again. Tropical Storm Hermine will strengthen to a hurricane before it slams into Florida’s Gulf Coast tomorrow night. Residents should expect 10 to 20 inches of rain. Meanwhile, way out west, Hawaii’s hoping to dodge two bullets. Looks like Tropical Storm Madeline has weakened and will miss a direct hit on the Big Island. But Hurricane Lester is still out and may whack the islands as a Category 1 hurricane in a few days.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
People are talking about these. Read up. Join in.
Quote of the day
“How dare you keep this from us and just let our kids play in lead and arsenic soil? How dare you?”
Shantell Allen, a mother of five from East Chicago, Indiana, after she found out lead in her yard had sickened her children and that officials knew about it.
Cool kids’ table
Bo Paske has autism and often eats alone. But not when the FSU football team visits his school and one of the players chows down with him.
Can you hear me now?
Here’s a bit of science that proves what we already knew: A new study suggests that Fido really does understand what you’re saying.
Photobombare
You find the perfect spot on the river for your high school senior photos, then this guy shows up and ruins it. Dude!
Bright idea
As if we didn’t have enough ways to feed our Netflix addiction, now there’s a light bulb that’ll stream it to your wall.
Why we can’t have nice things
Who’s shooting sea otters out in California? Carcasses have been washing ashore with gunshot wounds. There’s a $10,000 reward to help stop this.
E.T. hang up?
So maybe the aliens aren’t trying to reach us after all. That strange space signal everyone went crazy over? It may be from one of our satellites. Bummer.
Yo (Excuse me Chris)
What’s up with Chris Brown? Lately the R&B singer’s been building a bigger rap sheet than a hits list. His latest arrest this week doesn’t help things.
AND FINALLY …
Duck and cover
Enzo the golden retriever is one brave puppy. He’s not scared of anything, except windshield wipers. And maybe vacuum cleaners.
