Crash Course: Dems double down after bitter Virginia loss

Plus: Our doctors are not alright [Crash Course] Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgphgT-9g2FxSa9mUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~). Written by [Brett Bachman](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0QhaHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9CcmV0dEFCYWNobWFuVwNzcGNCCmGBP72DYXFJr2ZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~). Dems double down after bitter Virginia loss Just one day after a bitter loss in the Virginia governor's race, Democrats in Washington, D.C. were all business. Flashback: read Salon's Jon Skolnik on Tuesday's [results](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0R1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMDMvdGFrZS12aXJnaW5pYS1nb3Zlcm5vcnNoaXAtaW4tZmlyc3QtbWFqb3Itb2YtdGhlLWJpZGVuLXByZXNpZGVuY3kvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmGBP72DYXFJr2ZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~). The race between Republican Glenn Youngkin and Democrat Terry McAuliffe had been highly touted across the country as a referendum on President Joe Biden's agenda — though Democrats find themselves in a bit of a bind as far as reading the tea leaves just one day removed. Are voters opposed to the policy priorities Biden has laid out, or are they simply turned off by the fact that the party can't seem to accomplish any of those priorities? It appears Democrats on Capitol Hill are [leaning toward the latter](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0SBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMDMvZGVtb2NyYXRzLWluLWNvbmdyZXNzLWRvdWJsZS1kb3duLW9uLWJpZGVucy1hZ2VuZGEtYWZ0ZXItYml0dGVyLXZpcmdpbmlhLWxvc3MvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmGBP72DYXFJr2ZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~): Senate leaders spent Wednesday making a bid to advance a popular voting rights bill, the John Lewis Voting Act, while others jockeyed to return a four-week paid parental leave provision to the contentious $1.75 trillion social spending bill currently languishing in Congress. The results, however, looked like more of the same. Republicans successfully blocked any consideration of the voting rights measure, while a small group of moderate Democrats seemed unlikely to move on paid family leave until the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office weighs in with an estimate of the fiscal effects the policy will have. The takeaway? It may be a while before Democrats can talk about their successful legislation in the past tense. Our doctors are not alright Nobody seems to be doing all that well right now — and healthcare workers, especially doctors, are in perhaps the most dire straits of us all. And it's not just America: a new study in the peer-reviewed international journal PLOS ONE identified crisis levels of depression and anxiety in doctors across Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom as well. "The results of this study suggest that institutional support for healthcare workers, and in particular doctors, is important in protecting and promoting their mental health in the current and in future pandemics," Climent Quintana-Domeque, a co-author of the study, told Salon. [Read more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0RSaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMDMvZG9jdG9ycy1tZW50YWwtaGVhbHRoLXBhdGllbnRzLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphgT-9g2FxSa9mUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~). (Photo via Getty Images) - Democrats pulled out [a close win](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0SKaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMDMvcGhpbC1tdXJwaHktZWVrcy1vdXQtd2luLWluLW5ldy1qZXJzZXktZ3ViZXJuYXRvcmlhbC1yYWNlLWZvbGxvd2luZy1zdXJwcmlzZS1jaGFsbGVuZ2UvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmGBP72DYXFJr2ZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) in the New Jersey governor's race - Socialist candidate India Walton [defeated by write-in candidate](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0SFaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMDMvc29jaWFsaXN0LWNhbmRpZGF0ZS1pbmRpYS13YWx0b24tZGVmZWF0ZWQtYnktd3JpdGUtaW4tY2FuZGlkYXRlLWZvci1idWZmYWxvLW1heW9yLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphgT-9g2FxSa9mUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) for Buffalo mayor - George Orwell stopped and smelled the roses, and author Rebecca Solnit [wants modern people](salon.com/2021/11/03/george-orwells-roses-rebecca-solnit-salon-talks/?user_id=*|EMAIL|*) to do the same - Trump's defense in jeopardy after Fox's Judge Jeanine [arranged for](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0SEaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMDMvZGVmZW5zZS1pbi1qZW9wYXJkeS1hZnRlci1mb3hzLWplYW5pbmUtYXJyYW5nZWQtY29tbWFuZC1jZW50ZXItY2FtcGFpZ24tcGF5bWVudHMvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmGBP72DYXFJr2ZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~)"command center" campaign payments - Across the country, hospitals are seeing [high volumes](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0R_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMDMvZXJzLWFyZS1zd2FtcGVkLXdpdGgtc2VyaW91c2x5LWlsbC1wYXRpZW50cy1hbHRob3VnaC1tYW55LWRvbnQtaGF2ZV9wYXJ0bmVyLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphgT-9g2FxSa9mUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) of very sick patients and understaffed ERs - Key figure in [secretive right-wing Christian group](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0SRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMDQva2V5LWZpZ3VyZS1pbi1zZWNyZXRpdmUtcmlnaHQtd2luZy1jaHJpc3RpYW4tZ3JvdXAtbWFrZXMtYS1waXRjaC1mb3ItZWxvbi1tdXNrcy1tb25leV9wYXJ0bmVyLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphgT-9g2FxSa9mUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) makes a pitch for Elon Musk's money - Who gets to play who on screen? [The queer question](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0R0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMDMvaG9sbHl3b29kLWNhc3RpbmctaWRlbnRpdHktcXVlZXItbW9ybmluZy1zaG93LWp1bGlhbm5hLW1hcmd1bGllcy8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYYE_vYNhcUmvZlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) Julianna Margulies poses on "The Morning show" - Why a U.S. military jury is [seeking clemency](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0SRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMDMvdGhlLWdyZWF0ZXN0LW1vcmFsLXN0YWluLXdoeS1hLXVzLW1pbGl0YXJ5LWp1cnktaXMtc2Vla2luZy1jbGVtZW5jeS1mb3ItYS1ndWFudGFuYW1vLWRldGFpbmVlLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphgT-9g2FxSa9mUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) for a Guantanamo detainee - QAnon expert: Unhappy believers are [now being lured](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0SGaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMDMvcWFub24tZXhwZXJ0LXVuaGFwcHktYmVsaWV2ZXJzLWFyZS1ub3ctYmVpbmctbHVyZWQtaW50by1mYXItcmlnaHQtZXh0cmVtaXN0LWdyb3Vwcy8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYYE_vYNhcUmvZlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) into far-right extremist groups - "Squid Game" fans harass a gamer [whose name is causing confusion](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0RiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMDMvc3F1aWQtZ2FtZS1mYW5zLWhhcmFzc21lbnQtdHdpdGNoLWx5ZGlhLWVsbGVyeS8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYYE_vYNhcUmvZlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) with Netflix's hit show - Scandal at Liberty University: How a Christian college [dismisses students’ reports](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0SPaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMDMvc2NhbmRhbC1hdC1saWJlcnR5LXVuaXZlcnNpdHktaG93LWEtY2hyaXN0aWFuLWNvbGxlZ2UtZGlzbWlzc2VzLXN0dWRlbnRzLXJlcG9ydHMtb2ZfcGFydG5lci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYYE_vYNhcUmvZlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) of sexual assault - Trump and Giuliani [sued for slander](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0R6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMDMvYW5kLWdpdWxpYW5pLXN1ZWQtZm9yLXNsYW5kZXItb2ZmaWNpYWwtY2l0ZXMtY2F1c2VkLWJ5LWJpZy1saWVfcGFydG5lci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYYE_vYNhcUmvZlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA): Election official cites death threats caused by Trump's Big Lie - "PEN15" returns with more suffering, dancing and ... boyfriends?! [Watch the trailer](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0RGaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMDMvcGVuMTUtaHVsdS10cmFpbGVyLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphgT-9g2FxSa9mUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) - And, finally, try the [only sugar-rimmed margarita](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0RiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMDMvdGhlLW9ubHktc3VnYXItcmltbWVkLW1hcmdhcml0YS13b3J0aC1kcmlua2luZy8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYYE_vYNhcUmvZlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) worth drinking Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgphgT-9g2FxSa9mUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) to receive Crash Course. Dems listless without their favorite punching bag It may be a while before the hot takes on Tuesday's Virginia governor's race begin to smolder, but one thing is clear: it really did come down to voter enthusiasm. As Salon's Amanda Marcotte puts it, "Republicans are reliably easy to rile up with two main weapons: bigotry and resentment of liberals." "The performative freakout over trans rights and 'critical race theory' in public schools was built on easily debunked lies, and will be dropped the second it's no longer electorally useful. But none of that matters, because Republicans live in a cloistered media ecosystem where kids reading 'Beloved' in high school and imaginary rapists-in-dresses jumping strangers in the bathroom are treated like far more pressing threats to society than climate change or wealth inequality." At the same time, a whole lot of people who voted for Joe Biden last year — 33%, to be exact — stayed home. Put simply: It's hard to win elections that way. "One thing the Virginia race does end is the debate over whether there can be a Trumpism without Trump," Marcotte writes. "The answer is a very definitive 'yes.'" (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) - "‘My students never knew’: the lecturer who lived in a tent," [The Guardian](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0RpaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL2VkdWNhdGlvbi8yMDIxL29jdC8zMC9teS1zdHVkZW50cy1uZXZlci1rbmV3LXRoZS1sZWN0dXJlci13aG8tbGl2ZWQtaW4tYS10ZW50VwNzcGNCCmGBP72DYXFJr2ZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) - "How Corruption Ruined Lebanon," [The New York Times Magazine](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0RDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8xMC8yOC9tYWdhemluZS9jb3JydXB0aW9uLWxlYmFub24uaHRtbFcDc3BjQgphgT-9g2FxSa9mUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) - "How could this happen? Aaron Rodgers didn’t get vaccinated and the NFL let him play anyway," [The Los Angeles Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0RaaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubGF0aW1lcy5jb20vb3Bpbmlvbi9zdG9yeS8yMDIxLTExLTAzL3JvZGdlcnMtY292aWQtbm90LXZhY2NpbmF0ZWQtbmZsLWZvb3RiYWxsVwNzcGNCCmGBP72DYXFJr2ZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) - "Washington’s Blank Check for the United Arab Emirates Must End," [Foreign Policy](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0RwaHR0cHM6Ly9mb3JlaWducG9saWN5LmNvbS8yMDIxLzExLzAzL3VzLXVhZS1yZWxhdGlvbnNoaXAtYXJtcy1zYWxlcy1odW1hbi1yaWdodHMtYmlkZW4vP3RwY2M9cmVjaXJjX2xhdGVzdDA2MjkyMVcDc3BjQgphgT-9g2FxSa9mUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) - "The Butcher of Havana: How a drifter from Milwaukee became the chief executioner of the Cuban Revolution—and a test case for U.S. civil rights," [The Atavist](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0RIaHR0cHM6Ly9tYWdhemluZS5hdGF2aXN0LmNvbS90aGUtYnV0Y2hlci1vZi1oYXZhbmEtY3ViYS1jaGUtY2FzdHJvLWFjbHUvVwNzcGNCCmGBP72DYXFJr2ZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) GOP pushes to loosen child labor laws Republican-controlled legislatures in several states have come up with a novel way to stem the effects of an ongoing labor shortage: loosen child labor laws. It's not exactly a new strategy. Businesses hiring minimum-wage employees across the country have advertised their use of teenagers to plug the holes in their workforce for months, especially fast-food chains like Chipotle, Burger King and McDonalds, among others. Seasonal work in tourism-heavy industries like amusement parks have also doubled-down on the strategy. But at least two states, Wisconsin and Ohio, are now pushing for new laws that would allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work longer hours — the most brazen attempts to expand American businesses' use of teenage labor in decades. [Read more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMDMvaGF2ZS1uZXctaWRlYS10by1maXgtbGFib3Itc2hvcnRhZ2UtbG9vc2VuLWNoaWxkLWxhYm9yLWxhd3MvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmGBP72DYXFJr2ZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~). (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. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0RBaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPTM1NDM5NTJXA3NwY0IKYYE_vYNhcUmvZlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjZkI9P0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgphgT-9g2FxSa9mUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~)