Can Biden make the sale?

Plus: Bannon's charges and inflation's political impact [View this email online]( [NPR]( Evan Vucci/AP The Big Picture: Can Biden make the sale? At long last, an “infrastructure week” resulted in an infrastructure bill becoming law. President Biden on Monday [signed the $1 trillion bipartisan legislation]( that will repair roads and bridges, expand broadband access, replace lead piping and create a network of electric charging stations for a coming wave of electric vehicles, which [big auto companies are already moving toward](. The House on Friday [passed the even larger social safety net bill](. It awaits changes in the Senate. Democrats finally appear to have broken the logjam on their legislative agenda. But there’s an open question about whether Democrats and Biden will get the credit they think they deserve for it from voters. Unfortunately for Democrats, over the last several months, Democratic infighting over the measures has gotten the most attention, undercutting what should have been a big win for Biden and the party. Now, with slumping poll numbers, and prices and COVID-19 cases on the rise, Biden is [trying to take his sales pitch on the road](. “Look, this law is a blue-collar blueprint to rebuild America. It leaves nobody behind,” Biden said of the infrastructure bill Tuesday in New Hampshire. Democrats are on their heels for the 2022 midterm elections. They hope the infrastructure passage and Biden’s sales pitches are the beginning of regaining momentum. First, say Democrats working to keep the party in power, Democrats need to not be their own worst enemies. Guy Cecil, who runs Priorities USA, one of the largest Democratic super PACs, [told NPR’s Mara Liasson]( “We need the Democrats in Congress to stop fighting each other to pass this next piece of legislation, so that the contest can be between Democrats and Republicans and not Democrats and Democrats.” — Domenico Montanaro, NPR’s senior political editor/correspondent [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images ICYMI: Top Stories Biden signs infrastructure bill: President Biden [signed the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill into law]( this week. The measure will funnel billions to states and local governments to upgrade outdated roads, bridges and transit systems. “Too often in Washington, the reason we don’t get things done is because we insist on getting everything we want. With this law, we focused on getting things done,” Biden said at the signing ceremony. House passes Biden's big spending bill: House Democrats overcame internal divisions over the cost and scope of the far-reaching social and climate spending package, [approving it Friday morning]( but the fight will continue as the bill heads to the Senate for revisions. Bannon pleads not guilty: Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon [pleaded not guilty this week to two charges of contempt of Congress]( for his refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection. Bannon claims he's shielded from testifying by former President Donald Trump's assertion of executive privilege, even though Bannon had left the Trump administration years before the Capitol attack. “QAnon shaman” sentenced: Jacob Chansley, the self-styled "QAnon shaman" who became one of the faces of the Jan. 6 insurrection, was [sentenced to nearly three and a half years in prison for his role in the attack](. Photos of a bare-chested Chansley carrying a bullhorn and a spear adorned with the American flag while howling in halls of the Capitol became some of the iconic images of the day. Gosar censured: GOP Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona was [censured by the House and stripped of his committee assignments]( for posting on Twitter an anime video that showed him killing Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Two Republicans, Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, joined all Democrats in supporting the resolution to censure Gosar. — Brandon Carter, NPR Politics social media producer --------------------------------------------------------------- Bill Wunsch/Denver Post via Getty Images Going Deeper How high inflation hurts presidents: One of the lessons from inflationary eras past is that voters are less interested in causal responsibility than in forcing a change. In other words, if you are in office now, you are holding the bag. [Here's some history from NPR's Ron Elving](. Voters of color: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching a new, multimillion-dollar effort to engage and mobilize voters of color ahead of the midterm elections. [NPR's Juana Summers has the details](. — Ben Swasey, NPR Politics editor --------------------------------------------------------------- Elissa Nadworny/NPR The Shot: Infrastructure and rural broadband In many parts of the U.S., access to a strong internet connection isn't a given. The Hope Center at Temple University reported in March that about 40% of college students have struggled with internet or computer access during the pandemic, and the real number may be even higher. The newly signed infrastructure law aims to help. It includes $65 billion for improving broadband internet, with the majority of that money going toward creating access and improving speed. It's poised to help students across the country, especially those living in rural areas and tribal communities. — Brandon Carter, NPR Politics social media producer [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. 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