Vox Sentences: 4.2 million US workers will qualify for overtime, but sure, let’s talk more about Donald Trump
Donald Trump's SCOTUS shortlist; sweeping new overtime rules; Democrats are getting chippy.
Vox Sentences is written by Dylan Matthews and Dara Lind.
TOP NEWS
A Supreme Court list longer than Donald Trump's fingers
Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Since he's won the nomination, some Republicans — including Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), who's on the Judiciary Committee — have said they'd rather confirm Obama nominee Merrick Garland than leave Trump to his own devices. The shortlist is supposed to get the Flakes of the world on board.
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It appears that Trump worked with conservative groups to develop the list, including the Heritage Foundation; this listicle by Heritage's John Malcolm, written in late March, names several of the judges who ended up on Trump's list as potentials for "the next Supreme Court justice."
[The Daily Signal / John Malcolm]
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The exception is Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett, whose shoot-from-the-hip Twitter account has included much mockery of Trump. Asked by reporters Wednesday what he thought of being included on Trump's shortlist, Willett reportedly giggled and said he'd "exercise judicial restraint" by declining to comment.
[AP / Jill Colvin and Mark Sherman]
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Because this is all so up in the air, it's legal. But Trump's rumored plan to announce his potential Cabinet, perhaps at the Republican National Convention, is arguably illegal.
[Vox / Dylan Matthews]
Make Overtime Great Again
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
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The regulations double the maximum salary to qualify for overtime — it's now about $47,000. Furthermore, workers who make more than that — up to $134,000 — might qualify if their jobs don't include "executive, administrative, and professional" duties (and if you think that sounds extremely vague, you're right).
[ABC News / Susanna Kim]
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Employers have warned that they're going to have to shift other forms of compensation, like bonuses, into salary in order to bring workers' salaries above the overtime threshold. Labor advocates say that if businesses react to new regulations by increasing worker salaries, that's a win-win.
[Wall Street Journal / Melanie Trottman and Eric Morath]
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One place overtime rules will have a huge impact: the food industry, where a majority of workers make less than the salary threshhold, and where working more than 40 hours a week is considered the only way to move up the career ladder.
[Eater / Ryan Sutton]
The bitter end of the Democratic primary
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
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In the days since the convention, the state chair has been doxed and has received 1,000 nasty messages, including death threats. (Rolling Stone interviewed some of the people who sent these messages; the interviews do not place them in a good light).
[Rolling Stone / Tessa Stuart]
MISCELLANEOUS
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Streets take up way too much space in cities that could be used for apartments, offices, stores, and pedestrian spaces. So Barcelona is reclaiming nearly 60 percent of its streets and giving them back to the people.
[The Guardian / Marta Bausells]
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Last night, Faking It, one of my (Dylan's) favorite shows on air, aired its series finale. Let's remember it by reading the final installment of Autostraddle's exceptional recaps.
[Autostraddle / Riese Bernard]
VERBATIM
WATCH THIS
Vox / Liz Scheltens and Gina Barton
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