Crash Course: Is American democracy already lost? Half of us think so — but the future remains unwritten

New poll finds that more than half of all Americans think democracy is toast. But that's only true if we surrender Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpitESZtWJdGlDlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) Is American democracy already lost? Half of us think so — but the future remains unwritten The American people understand that their democracy and their society are in deep trouble. But they do not agree on who or what is the cause of the problem, and do not share a common understanding of basic facts. To make matters worse there is a kind of sinister synergy between America's democracy crisis and other serious problems facing the country, which risks creating a state of collective paralysis. [Read the rest from Chauncey DeVega.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0R6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvaXMtYW1lcmljYW4tZGVtb2NyYWN5LWFscmVhZHktbG9zdC1oYWxmLW9mLXVzLXRoaW5rLXNvLS1idXQtdGhlLWZ1dHVyZS1yZW1haW5zLXVud3JpdHRlbi9XA3NwY0IKYrREmbViXRpQ5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) (Getty/Angela Weiss) Russian pranksters convinced J.K. Rowling she was on a Zoom call with Zelenskyy Author [J.K. Rowling](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0RKaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMTIvamstcm93bGluZy10ZXJmLWx1bmNoLXRyYW5zZ2VuZGVyLXJpZ2h0cy9XA3NwY0IKYrREmbViXRpQ5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) is the latest celebrity to fall into the trap of Russian comedians Vovan and Lexus, two pranksters who have made names for themselves by pulling similar stunts on the likes of Elton John, Prince Harry, Billie Eilish, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders and George W. Bush. After seating herself behind her computer for what she thought was a call with [Volodymyr Zelenskyy](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0RaaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMDUvYW5kLXBlcmZvcm1hbmNlLXdoeS16ZWxlbnNreXktc3VjY2VlZHMtd2hlcmUtb3RoZXJzLWZhaWwvVwNzcGNCCmK0RJm1Yl0aUOVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) in which she'd discuss her charitable efforts in Ukraine, she later discovered she was not actually speaking to Zelenskyy at all. [Read the rest from Kelly McClure.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvcnVzc2lhbi1wcmFua3N0ZXJzLWNvbnZpbmNlZC1qay1yb3dsaW5nLXNoZS13YXMtb24tYS16b29tLWNhbGwtd2l0aC16ZWxlbnNreXkvVwNzcGNCCmK0RJm1Yl0aUOVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - [Trump's EPA](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0RNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvZ2x5cGhvc2F0ZS1oZXJiaWNpZGUtZXBhLWNhbmNlci1hZ3JpY3VsdHVyZS9XA3NwY0IKYrREmbViXRpQ5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) allowed Big Agriculture to poison Americans; a court just told them to stop - Worried about the "unprecedented" [sriracha shortage](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvd29ycmllZC1hYm91dC10aGUtdW5wcmVjZWRlbnRlZC1zcmlyYWNoYS1zaG9ydGFnZS1pdHMtYWxtb3N0LXRvby1lYXN5LXRvLW1ha2UteW91ci1vd24vVwNzcGNCCmK0RJm1Yl0aUOVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~)? It's almost too easy to make your own - "[Flux Gourmet](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0Q1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvZmx1eC1nb3VybWV0LXJldmlldy9XA3NwY0IKYrREmbViXRpQ5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)" is an absurdist adventure in pretentious performance art made from food sounds - Ringing the alarm for [Merrick Garland](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0Q0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvZ2FybGFuZC1kb2otYXJyZXN0L1cDc3BjQgpitESZtWJdGlDlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~): Department of Justice stands in real peril because of Trump - [Woman rescued](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0SAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvd29tYW4tcmVzY3VlZC1mcm9tLXZpb2xlbnQtaG9zdGFnZS1zaXR1YXRpb24tYWZ0ZXItdXNpbmctZ3J1Ymh1Yi1vcmRlci10by1jb250YWN0LWxvY2FsLXBvbGljZS9XA3NwY0IKYrREmbViXRpQ5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) from violent hostage situation after using Grubhub order to contact local police - [Netflix](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0RyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvbmV0ZmxpeC1pcy1sb3Npbmctc3Vic2NyaWJlcnMtYW5kLWZpcmluZy13b3JrZXJzLWJ1dC1pdHMtZmFyLWZyb20tZG9vbWVkX3BhcnRuZXIvVwNzcGNCCmK0RJm1Yl0aUOVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) is losing subscribers and firing workers, but it’s far from doomed - Feds raid home of [top Trump official](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvZmVkcy1yYWlkLWhvbWUtb2YtdG9wLW9mZmljaWFsLXRyaWVkLXRvLXRha2Utb3Zlci1kb2otdG8tZGVjbGFyZS1pbGxlZ2l0aW1hdGVfcGFydG5lci9XA3NwY0IKYrREmbViXRpQ5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) who tried to take over DOJ to declare election illegitimate - [Red flag laws](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0SAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvcmVkLWZsYWctbGF3cy1zYXZlZC03MzAwLWFtZXJpY2Fucy1mcm9tLWluLTIwMjAtYWxvbmUtLWJ1dC1jb3VsZC1oYXZlLXNhdmVkLTExNDAwLW1vcmVfcGFydG5lci9XA3NwY0IKYrREmbViXRpQ5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) saved 7,300 Americans from gun deaths in 2020 alone – but could have saved 11,400 more - [Jif recall](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0SCaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvamlmLXJlY2FsbC1zcHJlYWRzLWltcGFjdGluZy1tb3JlLXRoYW4tMjAtY29tcGFuaWVzLXRoYXQtdXNlLXRoZS1wZWFudXQtYnV0dGVyLWluLXRoZWlyLXByb2R1Y3RzL1cDc3BjQgpitESZtWJdGlDlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) spreads, impacting more than 20 companies that use the peanut butter in their products - Trump-backed Michigan Republican proposes [Jan. 6 Remembrance Day](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0RyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvYmFja2VkLW1pY2hpZ2FuLXByb3Bvc2VzLWphbi02LXJlbWVtYnJhbmNlLWRheS0tdG8taG9ub3ItY2FwaXRvbC1yaW90ZXJzX3BhcnRuZXIvVwNzcGNCCmK0RJm1Yl0aUOVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) — to honor Capitol rioters - Epic [snickerdoodles](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0RQaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvZXBpYy1zbmlja2VyZG9vZGxlcy1pbi0yMC1taW51dGVzLWZsYXRfcGFydG5lci9XA3NwY0IKYrREmbViXRpQ5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) in 20 minutes flat - DOJ wants to know if [Sidney Powell](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0SJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvZG9qLXdhbnRzLXRvLWtub3ctaWYtc2lkbmV5LXBvd2VsbC1pcy1mdW5kaW5nLXRoZS1vYXRoLWtlZXBlcnMtZGVmZW5zZS1pbi1qYW4tNi1jb25zcGlyYWN5LWNhc2VfcGFydG5lci9XA3NwY0IKYrREmbViXRpQ5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) is funding the Oath Keepers’ defense in Jan. 6 conspiracy case - [Marjorie Taylor Greene](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0R_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvbWFyam9yaWUtdGF5bG9yLWdyZWVuZS1oaXQtd2l0aC1hdWRpby1vZi1oYXJhc3NtZW50LWFmdGVyLWF0dGVtcHRpbmctdG8tZHVuay1vbi1lcmljLXN3YWx3ZWxsL1cDc3BjQgpitESZtWJdGlDlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) hit with audio of harassment after attempting to dunk on Eric Swalwell - Supreme Court cites Buffalo mass shooting in decision [striking down New York's gun law](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0RcaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvY2l0ZXMtYnVmZmFsby1tYXNzLWluLWRlY2lzaW9uLXN0cmlraW5nLWRvd24tbmV3LXlvcmtzLWxhdy9XA3NwY0IKYrREmbViXRpQ5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Here's how to [emulsify anything](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0RIaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvaGVyZXMtaG93LXRvLWVtdWxzaWZ5LWFueXRoaW5nX3BhcnRuZXIvVwNzcGNCCmK0RJm1Yl0aUOVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - [Lauren Boebert's Shooters restaurant](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0SJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvbGF1cmVuLWJvZWJlcnRzLXNob290ZXJzLXJlc3RhdXJhbnQta2lja2VkLW91dC1hZnRlci1uZXctbGFuZGxvcmQtY2l0ZXMtbW9yYWwtaW1wZXJhdGl2ZS1yZXBvcnRfcGFydG5lci9XA3NwY0IKYrREmbViXRpQ5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) kicked out after new landlord cites "moral" imperative: report - DOJ seizes Nevada GOP chairman’s phone, subpoenas Georgia GOP chairman as [fake elector probe grows](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0R6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvZG9qLXNlaXplcy1uZXZhZGEtY2hhaXJtYW5zLXBob25lLXN1YnBvZW5hcy1nZW9yZ2lhLWNoYWlybWFuLWFzLWZha2UtZWxlY3Rvci1wcm9iZS1ncm93cy9XA3NwY0IKYrREmbViXRpQ5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - [Mo Brooks](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0RwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvbW8tYnJvb2tzLWJldHJheWVkLWJ5LWluLWxvc2luZy1yZS1iaWQtc2F5cy1oZXMtd2lsbGluZy10by10ZXN0aWZ5LWFib3V0LWphbi02L1cDc3BjQgpitESZtWJdGlDlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), betrayed by Trump in losing election bid, says he's willing to testify about Jan. 6 Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpitESZtWJdGlDlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) Trump and his stooges must be punished: It's the only way to save America And so it came to pass that in the Year of Our Lord 2022, logic and facts left the room and the Republican Party replaced them with "We've got lots of theories, we just don't have the evidence." This is the postmodern world, devoid of reason and chock-full of stooges like Donald Trump, John Eastman and Rudy Giuliani. It is the world we were warned about by Michael Cohen in a 2020 [Rolling Stone article](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0ReaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucm9sbGluZ3N0b25lLmNvbS9wb2xpdGljcy9wb2xpdGljcy1uZXdzL21pY2hhZWwtY29oZW4tdHJ1bXAtd2FzLWEtbW9ic3Rlci0xMDU2MDk4L1cDc3BjQgpitESZtWJdGlDlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~): "I believe that he would even go so far as to start a war in order to prevent himself from being removed from office. My biggest fear is that there will not be a peaceful transition of power in 2020." It is a world where Trump's allies in the Supreme Court have eroded the separation of church and state so thoroughly that in the near future we could be living in a fascist Christian state. Jack-booted thugs will roam free and anyone who does not present as a God-fearing white Christian heterosexual will have more to fear from the government thugs stomping your neck than from the vengeful God to whom the dimwitted believers pray. [Read the rest from Brian Karem.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0RjaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvYW5kLWhpcy1zdG9vZ2VzLW11c3QtYmUtcHVuaXNoZWQtaXRzLXRoZS1vbmx5LXdheS10by1zYXZlLWFtZXJpY2EvVwNzcGNCCmK0RJm1Yl0aUOVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "How one of Arizona’s fake Trump electors, Ginni Thomas and an email platform for activism are connected," [AZ Mirror](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0SKaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYXptaXJyb3IuY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjEvaG93LW9uZS1vZi1hcml6b25hcy1mYWtlLXRydW1wLWVsZWN0b3JzLWdpbm5pLXRob21hcy1hbmQtYW4tZW1haWwtcGxhdGZvcm0tZm9yLWFjdGl2aXNtLWFyZS1jb25uZWN0ZWQvVwNzcGNCCmK0RJm1Yl0aUOVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "The problem with NY Mag's 'canceled teen,'" [Gawker](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0ROaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ2F3a2VyLmNvbS9tZWRpYS90aGUtcHJvYmxlbS13aXRoLW5ldy15b3JrLW1hZ2F6aW5lcy1jYW5jZWxlZC10ZWVuVwNzcGNCCmK0RJm1Yl0aUOVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Thousands Of Women Convicted Of Witchcraft Could Be Pardoned In Scotland," [Huffington Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0TDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaHVmZnBvc3QuY29tL2VudHJ5L2JjLWV1LWJyaXRhaW4td2l0Y2hlcy1wYXJkb25fbl82MmI0ODg0N2U0YjBjZGNjYmU2ODUwZGI_ZF9pZD00MDQ5NjQwJm5jaWRfdGFnPXR3ZWV0bG5rdXNocG1nMDAwMDAwMjUmdXRtX21lZGl1bT1Tb2NpYWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1Ud2l0dGVyJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj11c193ZWlyZF9uZXdzVwNzcGNCCmK0RJm1Yl0aUOVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "John McAfee's corpse still in Spanish morgue a year after his death," [Reuters](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0TfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmV1dGVycy5jb20vd29ybGQvZXVyb3BlL2pvaG4tbWNhZmVlcy1jb3Jwc2Utc3RpbGwtc3BhbmlzaC1tb3JndWUteWVhci1hZnRlci1oaXMtZGVhdGgtMjAyMi0wNi0yMy8_dGFpZD02MmI0NjJhYjA4ZTc4NDAwMDFkYmM5YWEmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXRydWVBbnRoZW06K1RyZW5kaW5nK0NvbnRlbnQmdXRtX21lZGl1bT10cnVlQW50aGVtJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9dHdpdHRlclcDc3BjQgpitESZtWJdGlDlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Amazon’s Alexa could soon mimic voice of dead relatives," [AP News](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0RGaHR0cHM6Ly9hcG5ld3MuY29tL2FydGljbGUvdGVjaG5vbG9neS1jMTAyZjc2YWU5MDdjMGY5NjkyMDEwNThmNDg3ZWI4Y1cDc3BjQgpitESZtWJdGlDlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) (Getty Images/Wavebreakmedia) Land shark? Why more shark encounters are likely coming and how "humans are not on the menu" In 1975's iconic [killer shark movie "Jaws,"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0RhaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMTgvMDkvMTUvZGlzYXN0ZXItcHJlc2lkZW50LXdoeS1pcy10cnVtcC1hY3RpbmctbGlrZS10aGUtbWF5b3ItZnJvbS1qYXdzL1cDc3BjQgpitESZtWJdGlDlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) a New England small town mayor refuses to accept that beachgoers are being attacked by a [great white shark](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0RZaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMDcvMTUvaW4tY2FwZS1jb2QtbmV3LWVmZm9ydHMtdG8tY29leGlzdC13aXRoLXNoYXJrcy1fcGFydG5lci9XA3NwY0IKYrREmbViXRpQ5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). Because he cares more about the local economy than the public welfare, he needlessly endangers innocent people — a failure not unlike that of politicians who refuse to support policies that can address climate change. [Read the rest from Matthew Rozsa](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0RKaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjMvc2hhcmstc3R1ZHktY2l0eS11cmJhbi1hZGFwdGF0aW9uLWh1bWFucy9XA3NwY0IKYrREmbViXRpQ5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). 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, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmK0RJm1Yl0aUOVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkmB5DP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpitESZtWJdGlDlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)