Crash Course: Biden's agenda on the Build Back Burner

Plus: Trump's terrible, horrible, no good very bad week none Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgphulQqu2FcEuGnUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). Written by [Brett Bachman](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0QhaHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9CcmV0dEFCYWNobWFuVwNzcGNCCmG6VCq7YVwS4adSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). none Biden's agenda on the Build Back Burner It looks like Democrats are going to break their self-imposed Dec. 31 deadline for passage of President Joe Biden's landmark $1.7 trillion Build Back Better bill — leaving the legislation, and by extension Biden's agenda, hanging by a thread. Party insiders who spoke with NBC News said that any vote on Build Back Better may now be delayed until March as the Senate reportedly focuses its effort on voting rights measures ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. It's simple math: without Sen. Joe Manchin, the conservative West Virginia Democrat, Build Back Better just doesn't have the votes to pass the evenly divided Senate. Manchin's clearly feeling the pressure, too, barking a string of profanity Wednesday at reporters who asked about his continued recalcitrance: "This is bull----," he said, adding a second expletive addressed to Huffington Post political reporter Arthur Delaney personally: "You're bull----." His opposition to BBB apparently stems from the inclusion of an extended child tax credit, a temporary version of which was implemented as a pandemic relief measure. Sources told CNN he'd like to eliminate it entirely — "Zero it out" were reportedly his exact words. Without the extension, Wednesday marked the last day child tax credit payments will go out. [Learn more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0SHaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUvam9lLW1hbmNoaW4tZ29lcy1vZmYtYWZ0ZXItcmVwb3J0ZXItYXNrcy1hYm91dC1iaWRlbnMtc3RhbGxlZC1hZ2VuZGEteW91cmUtYnVsbC0tLS0vP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmG6VCq7YVwS4adSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). none none Trump's taxes may finally see the light of day A federal judge ruled Tuesday that former President Donald Trump must turn over his tax returns to the House Ways and Means Committee — a death blow to his years-long quest to keep the documents secret. "A long line of Supreme Court cases requires great deference to facially valid congressional inquiries," Trevor McFadden of the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia wrote in a 45-page decision. "Even the special solicitude accorded former presidents does not alter the outcome." It's yet to be seen whether or not this means the average American will be privy to those documents, however. The committee could vote to make Trump's tax returns public — but it could just as easily seal them up following its inquiry. [Read more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0RgaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUvcnVsZXMtYWdhaW5zdC10cnVtcC1yZWxlYXNlcy1oaXMtdG8tY29uZ3Jlc3MvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmG6VCq7YVwS4adSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). (Photo Illustration via Getty Images/Salon) none - Liz Cheney [takes center stage](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0SBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTYvamFuLTYtY29tbWl0dGVlLWhlYXRzLXVwLWFzLWxpei1jaGVuZXktdGFrZXMtY2VudGVyLXN0YWdlLWlzLWl0LXdhdGVyZ2F0ZS15ZXQvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmG6VCq7YVwS4adSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) as Jan. 6 committee heats up - Kyrsten Sinema boldly fights her own party — to [save another tax break](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0R7aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUva3lyc3Rlbi1zaW5lbWEtYm9sZGx5LWhlci1vd24tcGFydHktLXRvLXNhdmUtYW5vdGhlci1icmVhay1mb3ItdGhlLXJpY2gvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmG6VCq7YVwS4adSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) for the rich - Fox News passes Trump's loyalty test: It's about more than lying — [it's about teaching how to lie](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0SJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUvZm94LW5ld3MtcGFzc2VzLWxveWFsdHktdGVzdC1pdHMtYWJvdXQtbW9yZS10aGFuLWx5aW5nLS1pdHMtYWJvdXQtdGVhY2hpbmctaG93LXRvLWxpZS8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYbpUKrthXBLhp1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), Salon's Amanda Marcotte writes - Watch [this "Ted Lasso" stop-motion animated Christmas short](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0RWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUvdGVkLWxhc3NvLWNocmlzdG1hcy1hbmltYXRlZC12aWRlby8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYbpUKrthXBLhp1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) that's both creepy & heartwaring - Scientists are [closing in on](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0RfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUvc2NpZW50aXN0cy1hcmUtY2xvc2luZy1pbi1vbi1hbi1oaXYtdmFjY2luZS8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYbpUKrthXBLhp1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) an HIV vaccine - Golf club tax scheme lands Trump in legal trouble as [New York investigation heats up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0SGaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUvZ29sZi1jbHViLXNjaGVtZS1sYW5kcy1pbi1sZWdhbC10cm91YmxlLWFzLW5ldy15b3JrLWludmVzdGlnYXRpb24taGVhdHMtdXBfcGFydG5lci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYbpUKrthXBLhp1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - A beginner's guide to [using an Instant Pot](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0RlaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUvYS1iZWdpbm5lcnMtZ3VpZGUtdG8tdXNpbmctYW4taW5zdGFudC1wb3RfcGFydG5lci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYbpUKrthXBLhp1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - [Where are Ivanka Trump's texts](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0SNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUvd2hlcmUtYXJlLWl2YW5rYS10ZXh0cy1xdWVzdGlvbnMtYXJpc2UtYWZ0ZXItbGluZHNleS1ncmFoYW0tcmV2ZWFscy1qYW4tNi1jb250YWN0X3BhcnRuZXIvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmG6VCq7YVwS4adSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~)? Questions arise after Lindsey Graham reveals Jan. 6 contact - Author, activist and scholar bell hooks [dead at 69](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0RDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUvYmVsbC1ob29rcy1kaWVzLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphulQqu2FcEuGnUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - Trump-loving "The Villages" has [a voter fraud problem](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0R7aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUvbXVsdGlwbGUtcmVzaWRlbnRzLWZyb20tZmxvcmlkYXMtbG92aW5nLXRoZS12aWxsYWdlcy1hcnJlc3RlZC1mb3ItZnJhdWQvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmG6VCq7YVwS4adSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - “Hawkeye” is a pandemic fable — At its core, the Disney+ show is about [never getting the chance to grieve](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0ReaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUvaGF3a2V5ZS15ZWxlbmEta2F0ZS1jbGludC1zZXBhcmF0aW9uLWdyaWVmLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphulQqu2FcEuGnUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - Tucker Carlson's "red-faced man" conspiracy theory about Capitol rioters [just fell apart](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0SRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUvdHVja2VyLWNhcmxzb25zLXJlZC1mYWNlZC1tYW4tY29uc3BpcmFjeS10aGVvcnktYWJvdXQtY2FwaXRvbC1yaW90ZXJzLWp1c3QtZmVsbC1hcGFydF9wYXJ0bmVyLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphulQqu2FcEuGnUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - Tornadoes and climate change: What a warming world [means for deadly twisters](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0SAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUvdG9ybmFkb2VzLWFuZC1jbGltYXRlLWNoYW5nZS13aGF0LWEtd2FybWluZy13b3JsZC1tZWFucy1mb3ItdHdpc3RlcnNfcGFydG5lci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYbpUKrthXBLhp1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - And finally, read our deputy food editor Ashlie Stevens' [heartfelt love letter](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0RsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUvcGhvLW1lbnVkby1hbmQtb2xkLXNvYmVyLWEtbG92ZS1sZXR0ZXItdG8tYnJlYWtmYXN0LXNvdXAvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmG6VCq7YVwS4adSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) to breakfast soup Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0QgaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL25ld3NsZXR0ZXJXA3NwY0IKYbpUKrthXBLhp1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) to receive Crash Course. none none TrumpWorld's terrible, horrible, no good very bad week It's been terrible week for Mark Meadows, former President Donald Trump's final chief of staff. And it's been even worse for Trump himself, after a House select committee's inquiry into the Jan. 6 Capitol riot really began to heat up in recent days. But that's not the only thing keeping Trump up at night, Salon columnist Heather Digby Parton writes: Not only is he dealing with the fallout of Meadows' document dump, a judge just ruled on Tuesday that he's going to have to give up his tax returns after all. That the ruling came from a judge who Trump appointed, must really chap his hide. It's been stayed pending appeal, but the gyrations the higher courts would have to go through may not be worth the trouble. If he runs again in 2024, there's a good chance the country will at least be able to see what he's been hiding. He's also been called to appear for a deposition by the New York Attorney General's office in regards to the civil fraud investigation into his real estate business. Since the Manhattan District Attorney is running a parallel criminal investigation, this puts Trump at risk if he is forced to take the Fifth Amendment in the civil case to avoid incriminating himself criminally. In civil cases, you are allowed to infer guilt from a Fifth Amendment plea. The bad news quickly piled up for Trump this week when the New York Times reported late Tuesday that the prosecutors in the criminal investigation have called his accountant and his longtime banker before the grand jury to determine whether Trump committed fraud when he applied for loans. It appears that these two cases may be coming to a head. But perhaps even more threatening, for the first time we are seeing the contours of what the January 6th Committee may be leading up to: a criminal referral of Donald Trump for obstruction. It's unclear what will come of these cases, Parton adds, "but Trump and his henchmen are feeling the heat right now for what his long-time fixer Michael Cohen always calls 'his dirty deeds."" "Maybe that's the best we can hope for." [Read the full commentary](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0RraHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUvbWFyay1tZWFkb3dzLWlzLWhhdmluZy1hLXJlYWxseS13ZWVrLS1hbmQtaXMtZXZlbi13b3JzZS8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYbpUKrthXBLhp1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). (Photo via Getty Images) none - "Does Punchbowl News Play by the Rules?" [The American Prospect](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0RBaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9zcGVjdC5vcmcvcG93ZXIvZG9lcy1wdW5jaGJvd2wtbmV3cy1wbGF5LWJ5LXRoZS1ydWxlcy9XA3NwY0IKYbpUKrthXBLhp1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "See the Real Live Man Who Grew Up in a Carnival," [The New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0RRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8xMi8xNS9tb3ZpZXMvbmlnaHRtYXJlLWFsbGV5LWNoaWxkaG9vZC1jYXJuaXZhbC5odG1sVwNzcGNCCmG6VCq7YVwS4adSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "The Supreme Court Is Playing Constitutional Calvinball," [The Atlantic](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0RgaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlYXRsYW50aWMuY29tL2lkZWFzL2FyY2hpdmUvMjAyMS8xMi9nYXZpbi1uZXdzb20tY2FsaWZvcm5pYS1ndW4tbGF3LXNjb3R1cy82MjEwMDAvVwNzcGNCCmG6VCq7YVwS4adSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "How the Taxi Workers Won," [The Nation](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0Q9aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlbmF0aW9uLmNvbS9hcnRpY2xlL3NvY2lldHkvdGF4aS1kcml2ZXItc3RyaWtlL1cDc3BjQgphulQqu2FcEuGnUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Alison Roman Just Can’t Help Herself," [The New Yorker](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0RRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmV3eW9ya2VyLmNvbS9tYWdhemluZS8yMDIxLzEyLzIwL2FsaXNvbi1yb21hbi1qdXN0LWNhbnQtaGVscC1oZXJzZWxmVwNzcGNCCmG6VCq7YVwS4adSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) none Pandemic problems "My husband (unvaccinated and conspiracy-theory minded with anger against authority issues) deliberately exposed himself to COVID over this last weekend and brought it home to me." That was the start of a wild reader inquiry to Salon's senior science writer, Nicole Karlis, this week. It's hard to give advice in sticky, intimate situations like this, so she turned to clinical psychologist Dr. Carla Marie Manly — and author of "Joy from Fear" and "Date Smart" — for help. The selfish and thoughtless nature of the husband's behavior may be indicative of underlying narcissistic tendencies that will make the relationship difficult to bear in the long term ... [She is] absolutely entitled to feel devastated, betrayed, and furious. A bit of boundary work is in order. The wife may want to create clear boundaries that help the husband understand the personal consequences of his reckless, inconsiderate behavior. For example, perhaps this is a good opportunity to allow the husband to make his own soup and obtain his own medicine. It is only through exercising natural consequences of reckless behavior that he might learn to consider the impact of his actions. "In other words, no more rewarding any behavior from him that clearly crosses your boundaries," Karlis writes. [Read her full response](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0RkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUvbXktaHVzYmFuZC1pbnRlbnRpb25hbGx5LWV4cG9zZWQtbXktZmFtaWx5LXRvLTE5Lz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphulQqu2FcEuGnUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). Do you have a pandemic problem that needs solving? Email Nicole Karlis at [nkarlis@salon.com](mailto:nkarlis@salon.com?subject=Pandemic%20Problems%20Question&body=Dear%20Pandemic%20Problems%2C%20). Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, 19801 DE [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmG6VCq7YVwS4adSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2021 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjna9SP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgphulQqu2FcEuGnUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)