Ted Cruz's Awkward Phase Has Just Begun

Just issues, news, and other stuff that matters to you [Fusion] May 4, 2016 Who could imagine a situation where Ted Cruz dropping out of the presidential race would be depressing? And yet, it totally is, in the context of yesterday’s Indiana returns and the confirmation that Donald Trump is, indeed, the [presumptive] Republican nominee. Like many, I really don’t have words for this reality (and I’m a writer!) but luckily, Elizabeth Warren does, and she has a [Twitter account] where she uses them. “I’m going to fight my heart out to make sure [@realDonaldTrump]’s toxic stew of hatred & insecurity never reaches the White House,” she wrote [last night], as part of one of her now-trademark post-a-thons raging against various [terrible] things. It is part of a politician’s job to speak for the people—something Warren has often done, admirably—and in this case, I think she is speaking for a lot of us. —[Mikki Halpin] THE LIST 1 A Complete History of 'Becky with the Good Hair' The concept goes back to the 1700s, and it's part of a [tradition] of resistance to white oppression. 2 The Gay Rights Movement Is Getting a National Monument President Obama will soon [designate] several blocks in Greenwich Village—where the 1969 Stonewall protests launched the modern fight for LGBT rights—as a historic site. Just in time for Pride. 3 Undoing Dam-age A large [dam removal] project in Oregon's Klamath Basin promises to restore salmon populations and decrease toxic algae. The project came into being after years of effort from local Native American tribes. 4 Ted Cruz's Awkward Phase Has Just Begun Katie McDonough lists all the reasons that Cruz's [return] to the Senate is not likely to be a love-fest. There's always Canada, though. 5 The Snapchat Filter Wars Several artists are arguing over just who Snapchat ripped off with a recent (now removed) [filter]. This could go into new legal territory—if only the evidence lasted more than 24 hours. THE READ [How Mexico City Is Using the Internet to Crowdsource Its New Constitution] by Rafa Fernandez De Castro Mexico is launching a big experiment in democracy that promises to turn people’s ideas into the new law of the land. In January President Enrique Peña Nieto signed a reform that made Mexico’s capital, which has always been known as Distrito Federal or Federal District (similar to Washington, D.C.), its own sovereign city. Now the local government is getting more autonomy, which means local lawmakers will be able to approve the city’s budget and draft their own constitution, among other measures. That new spirit of autonomy has mobilized chilangos, as Mexico City residents are known, to try to get their respective agendas included in the new set of laws that will govern the urban hub. LGBTQ and womens’ rights groups were among the first in line to lobby for representation in the new constitution, but other groups are pushing to make their voices heard, too. That prompted Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera to implement a plan designed to give everyone a voice in the city’s democratic experiment by using an [online platform] and a [Change.org petition]. Those who don’t have internet access will be able to submit their proposals at one of 300 mobile kiosks around the city. [Read more of this story] - [How Change.org works] - [The Mexico City Change.org petition] TODAY IN TRADITIONS It's May 4th, also known as Star Wars Day, because "May the 4th be with you" sounds like...well you get it. It may be cheesy, but this is the stuff that binds our galaxy together, people. Say hi to your local Jedi. [Facebook] [Twitter] [Vine] [Instagram] [Youtube] Remember, you can always [click here to unsubscribe] and never see another one of these emails until the apocalypse (at which time it'll be nothing but emails). This email was sent to {EMAIL} Fusion · 8551 NW 30th Terrace · Doral, FL 33122 · USA