Crash Course: Senate averts disaster... for now

The U.S. debt ceiling has been raised until December. At which point, we'll probably have to do this all over again [Crash Course] Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgphW8AkYGGMd2AnUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~). Written by [Brett Bachman](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0QhaHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9CcmV0dEFCYWNobWFuVwNzcGNCCmFbwCRgYYx3YCdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~). There's a new debt ceiling — for now The Senate [managed to eke out a deal Thursday night to raise the debt ceiling](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0SHaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMDcvc2VuYXRlLXZvdGVzLXRvLXJhaXNlLWRlYnQtY2VpbGluZy13aXRoLTExLWpvaW5pbmctZGVtcy10by1icmVhay1maWxpYnVzdGVyX3BhcnRuZXIvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFbwCRgYYx3YCdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~), staving off what would likely have been a catastrophic default. The measure is, of course, simply a stopgap. It appears we'll be having the same conversation again come December, which is all the time Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and the Republicans were willing to allow as a peace offering in exchange for Democrats backing off their threats of nuking the filibuster. The deal almost looked like it wouldn't come together — in the waning hours before Thursday night's vote, [Sen. Ted Cruz appeared all set to blow up the deal](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0SVaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMDcvdGVkLWNydXotdGhyZWF0ZW5zLXRvLWZpbGlidXN0ZXItZGVtb2NyYXRzLWRlYnQtY2VpbGluZy1oaWtlLXRocm93aW5nLXdyZW5jaC1pbnRvLW1jY29ubmVsbHMtcGxhbi8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYVvAJGBhjHdgJ1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA)between McConnell and Democratic leadership. The Texas firebrand referred to McConnell's maneuver as "political cover" for the Democrats, who he advised to take up the measure using an arcane and often time-consuming partisan process called reconciliation. In the end, however, Cruz appeared unable to whip enough votes to scuttle the agreement — meaning the American public can enjoy roughly two months without having to hear about the dire consequences of Washington choosing to default on its sizeable debts. We'll see you all here again come December. Timeline of Trump's election interference begins to fall into place The Senate Judiciary Committee released a sweeping report Thursday — 394 pages! — that sought to outline [how former President Donald Trump and a high-ranking DOJ lawyer tried to overturn last year's election](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0SBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMDgvaGVyZS1hcmUtNi1rZXktZmluZGluZ3MtZnJvbS1zZW5hdGUtanVkaWNpYXJ5cy1yZXBvcnQtb24taW50ZXJmZXJlbmNlX3BhcnRuZXIvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFbwCRgYYx3YCdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~). The report covers the many ways in which Trump repeatedly pressed DOJ leaders to assist his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and even how the former commander-in-chief [sought to install a loyalist attorney general](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0R9aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMDcvZGF5cy1iZWZvcmUtamFuLTYtcHVzaGVkLXBhY3QtaW4tZGVzcGVyYXRlLWJpZC10by1zdWJ2ZXJ0LXJlc3VsdHNfcGFydG5lci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYVvAJGBhjHdgJ1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) who would follow his wishes. The Democratic-led committee called the pressure campaign, including a proposal by Assistant AG Jeffrey Clark to override the already-certified election results, "a stunning distortion of DOJ's authority." Fallout from these findings came quickly Thursday, as the committee's chairman, Sen. Dick Durbin, called for the D.C. Bar Association to mount a probe into Clark's actions. [Read more about the blockbuster report here](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0SNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMDcvdG9wLXNlbmF0ZS1kZW1vY3JhdC1jYWxscy1mb3ItcHJvYmUtaW50by1kb2otbGF3eWVyLWZvbGxvd2luZy1yZXBvcnQtb24tcHJlc3N1cmUtY2FtcGFpZ24vP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFbwCRgYYx3YCdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~). - [Bernie Sanders and Joe Manchin duke it out](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0SRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMDcvc2FuZGVycy1hY2N1c2VzLW1hbmNoaW4tb2Ytc2Fib3RhZ2Utb3Zlci1kZW1hbmQtdG8tZHJvcC1mYW1pbHktY2hpbGQtY2FyZS1tZWRpY2FyZS1wcm92aXNpb25zLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphW8AkYGGMd2AnUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) over the size of Biden's Build Back Better plan - Malaria, known to humans for millennia, finally has a vaccine. [Here's why it was so hard to develop](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0RbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMDcvd2h5LW1hbGFyaWEtdmFjY2luZS13YXMtc28taGFyZC10by1tYWtlLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphW8AkYGGMd2AnUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) - Disney+ wanted Agatha all along – ["WandaVision" spinoff starring Kathryn Hahn is in the works](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0RkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMDcvd2FuZGF2aXNpb24tc3Bpbm9mZi1hZ2F0aGEtaGFya25lc3Mta2F0aHJ5bi1oYWhuLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphW8AkYGGMd2AnUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) - Congress fights over money for child care — [but never questions billions for war](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMDcvY29uZ3Jlc3Mtb3Zlci1tb25leS1mb3ItY2hpbGQtY2FyZS0tYnV0LW5ldmVyLXF1ZXN0aW9ucy1iaWxsaW9ucy1mb3IvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFbwCRgYYx3YCdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) - Meet the [Christian climate scientist who wants to de-politicize the climate crisis](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0SIaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMDcvbWVldC10aGUtY2hyaXN0aWFuLWNsaW1hdGUtc2NpZW50aXN0LXdhbnRzLXRvLWRlLXBvbGl0aWNpemUtdGhlLWNsaW1hdGUtY29udmVyc2F0aW9uLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphW8AkYGGMd2AnUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) conversation - Accused war criminal's foundation [forced to refund MAGA donors angered by anti-Trump posts](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0SDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMDcvYWNjdXNlZC1jcmltaW5hbHMtZm91bmRhdGlvbi1mb3JjZWQtdG8tcmVmdW5kLW1hZ2EtZG9ub3JzLWFuZ2VyZWQtYnktYW50aS1wb3N0cy8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYVvAJGBhjHdgJ1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) - Major film and TV crew unions [authorize nationwide strike](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0R1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMDcvbWFqb3ItZmlsbS1hbmQtdHYtY3Jldy11bmlvbnMtYXV0aG9yaXplLW5hdGlvbndpZGUtc3RyaWtlX3BhcnRuZXIvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFbwCRgYYx3YCdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) - 'Entirely unsurprising': Merck slammed for [4,000% markup of taxpayer-funded COVID-19 drug](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0SFaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMDcvZW50aXJlbHktdW5zdXJwcmlzaW5nLW1lcmNrLXNsYW1tZWQtZm9yLTQwMDAtbWFya3VwLW9mLXRheHBheWVyLWZ1bmRlZC0xOV9wYXJ0bmVyLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphW8AkYGGMd2AnUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) - And, finally, [you've got to try the Rochester garbage plate](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMDcvdGhlLXJvY2hlc3Rlci1nYXJiYWdlLXBsYXRlLWdsb3Jpb3VzbHktbGl2ZXMtdXAtdG8taXRzLW5hbWUvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFbwCRgYYx3YCdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) — an upstate delicacy so good, you can even enjoy it without a hangover Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgphW8AkYGGMd2AnUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) to receive Crash Course. So much for the GOP effort to overturn Roe v. Wade quietly It appears there's finally some good news coming from the war over abortion rights: A district judge in Texas temporarily blocked the state's near-total ban on the procedures Thursday night. As [Salon columnist Amanda Marcotte writes](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0RnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMDcvdGhvdWdodC10aGUtY291bGQtc3RlYWx0aGlseS1iYW4tYWJvcnRpb24tdGhleS13ZXJlLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphW8AkYGGMd2AnUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~): "It turns out that banning abortion through the back door is not as easy as Republicans and the partisan hacks they installed on the Supreme Court thought it would be. And yes, conservatives clearly thought they could quietly overturn Roe v. Wade without the public noticing." "In light of these changes, it's not a surprise that people are both outraged about the Texas abortion ban and unafraid to say so publicly. The fight to end abortion rights is, politically at least, going to be much harder than Republicans were clearly betting it would be." (Photo illustration via Salon/Getty Images) - "[What Realistically Happens Next To Facebook](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0RHaHR0cHM6Ly9iaWd0ZWNobm9sb2d5LnN1YnN0YWNrLmNvbS9wL3doYXQtcmVhbGlzdGljYWxseS1oYXBwZW5zLW5leHQtdG9XA3NwY0IKYVvAJGBhjHdgJ1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA)," Big Technology Substack newsletter - "['I was a housekeeper for a wealthy family... and I was shocked by what I learnt about the super-elite](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0RXaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvLnVrL3R2LzAvaG91c2VrZWVwZXItd2VhbHRoeS1mYW1pbHktc2hvY2tlZC1sZWFybnQtc3VwZXItZWxpdGUvVwNzcGNCCmFbwCRgYYx3YCdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~),'" The Telegraph - "[WHAT WE LOST WHEN GANNETT CAME TO TOWN](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0RiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlYXRsYW50aWMuY29tL3BvbGl0aWNzL2FyY2hpdmUvMjAyMS8xMC9nYW5uZXR0LWxvY2FsLW5ld3NwYXBlci1oYXdrLWV5ZS1pb3dhLzYxOTg0Ny9XA3NwY0IKYVvAJGBhjHdgJ1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA)," The Atlantic - "[Espresso martinis are incredibly hot. Bartenders hate them](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0RNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ3J1YnN0cmVldC5jb20vMjAyMS8xMC93aHktYmFydGVuZGVycy1oYXRlLWVzcHJlc3NvLW1hcnRpbmlzLmh0bWxXA3NwY0IKYVvAJGBhjHdgJ1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA)," New York Magazine - "[The ugly bipartisan obsession with the "right" number of immigrants](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0RBaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdyZXB1YmxpYy5jb20vYXJ0aWNsZS8xNjM4OTEvaW1taWdyYW50LXJlZnVnZWUtY2VpbGluZ3NXA3NwY0IKYVvAJGBhjHdgJ1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA)," The New Republic Joe Biden's Truman Show presidency Photos of President Joe Biden holding several events at a sound stage in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building have gone viral in right-wing media over the last few days, sparking some truly bizarre criticisms and conspiracy theories. None, of course, more strange than QAnon followers' interpretation of the situation: that Biden is being led around, performing a fake presidency for the cameras like a real-life Truman Show [while Donald Trump still controls the machinery of government](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjQqm-P0SAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMDcvcWFub24tZm9sbG93ZXJzLWFsbGVnZS1waG90by1vZi1iaWRlbnMtc2V0LXByb3Zlcy1pcy1zdGlsbC1pbi1jaGFyZ2VfcGFydG5lci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYVvAJGBhjHdgJ1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) in the background without accepting any credit. It's worth a quick explainer — the Eisenhower building has been used by American presidents for centuries. This includes Trump, who also held several photo-ops at the same sound stage. (Photo via Getty Images) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Copyright © 2021 Crash Course, All rights reserved. Our mailing address: 1000 N. 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