The MAGA vs. Mitch McConnell battle heats up with Trump’s return to public life, Joe Biden and progressives debate how much student debt to cancel, and Texas suffers from freezing storms and rolling blackouts while Ted Cruz jets off to Cancun. Then Dr. Anthony Fauci talks to Jon about variants, vaccination timelines, and what he’s learned from this pandemic.

For resources about how to help those affected by the storms in Texas or get help, check out this Texas Tribune article.

Show notes

Mitch and Trump 

• The Hill: READ: Trump statement ripping into McConnell
• Politico: Trump attacks McConnell in fiery statement
• NYT: Trump, in Scorching Attack on McConnell, Urges G.O.P. to Replace Him 
• Politico: Johnson: McConnell doesn’t ‘speak for the conference’ on Trump’s culpability for riot
• TPM: Ron Johnson Joins Graham In Bashing McConnell For Scolding Trump After Acquittal 
• CNN: McConnell’s plan to deal with Trump: Ignore him
• Business Insider: Lindsey Graham says Republicans ‘don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell’ of regaining a Senate majority without Trump 
• WaPo: County GOP chairman in Kentucky calls on McConnell to resign from leadership over remarks on Trump’s responsibility for Jan. 6 attack
• Daily Beast: Hannity Calls for McConnell to Be Replaced as GOP Senate Leader 
• United States Senate: Responsibilities of Majority and Minority Leaders
• CNN: McConnell and Schumer reelected as Senate party leaders
• The Hill: Trump to appear on ‘Hannity’ in wake of Limbaugh’s death 
• NPR: Trump Praises Limbaugh, Who Died Wednesday, As A ‘Legend’ 

Student debt 

• NYT: In Milwaukee, Biden Offers Reassurance, and Tries to Avoid Mention of ‘the Former Guy’
• Politico: Biden focuses on K-8 in recasting benchmark on opening schools
• WaPo: Biden indicates he’s open to negotiation on $15 minimum wage 
• CNN: Biden again rejects $50,000 student loan debt forgiveness plan pushed by other top Democrats
• Vox: The debate over Joe Biden canceling student debt, explained 
• CNBC: President Biden’s executive order extends federal student loan payment freeze for 8 months—what experts say borrowers should do
• NPR: President Biden Extends Student Loan Payment Freeze Through Sept. 30
• WaPo: After Biden request, Education Department extends pause on federal student loan payments through September
• Slate: Biden Says “No” to Democrat-Backed $50,000 Student Debt Forgiveness Plan
• USA Today – Fact check: Student loan debt still exists, despite viral social media claim
• Axios: Warren, Schumer double down on push to cancel student debt after Biden rejects plan
• Bloomberg:  Schumer, Warren Challenge Biden on Student Debt Cancellation
• Data for Progress: THE PRESIDENT DOESN’T NEED CONGRESS TO CANCEL STUDENT LOAN DEBT. DEMOCRATS WILL PUSH FOR ACTION IN 2021
• Reuters: Biden will ask DOJ to review his authority to cancel student loan debt – White House
•  Forbes: Why Biden Can’t Cancel Student Loans—This Memo Explains All 
• The Hill: Ocasio-Cortez: ‘The case against student loan forgiveness is looking shakier by the day’ 
• CNN: Key Democrats unhappy with Biden’s reluctance to cancel $50,000 in student debt
• Business Insider:  Several top Democrats break with Biden and push back on his reluctance to cancel $50,000 in student-loan debt 
• NBC: Most Black voters support eliminating student loan debt, new survey finds 
• Vox: Americans want to cancel student loans — but not all of them 
• CNBC: Students lament Biden refusal to cancel $50,000 in student debt
• The Cut: Biden’s Cowardly Answer on Student Debt 

Texas / Winter weather 

• Bloomberg: Texas Power Crisis Is Getting Worse With Millions Left in Dark
• AP: Millions endure record cold without power; at least 20 dead
• NYT: Texans are still waiting for power to return, with more snow on the way. 
• WaPo: Live updates: Deaths mount, millions still without power amid new snow, ice storm
• Texas Tribune: “We’re in it alone”: Power outages leave millions of Texans desperate for heat and safety
• NYT: Texas Blackouts Hit Minority Neighborhoods Especially Hard
• WaPo: Freezing temperatures and power outages hurt Texas’s most vulnerable yet again
• NY Mag: Extreme Winter Weather Wreaks Havoc Across U.S.
• AP: Crippling storm hampers vaccinations as FEMA opens new sites
• Texas Tribune: How to help and get help in Texas as the winter storm causes power outages
• Austin American Statesman: How to help, and what to do if you need it, during Texas’ historic freeze 
• Texas Tribune Analysis: Analysis: Working political angles instead of solving problems
• Houston Chronicle: Perry says Texans willing to suffer blackouts to keep feds out of power market
• WaPo: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott blames wind turbines, Green New Deal policies for outages. Critics call that ‘a lie.’ 
• ABC News: Texas blackouts fuel false claims about renewable energy
• WaPo: The Texas grid got crushed because its operators didn’t see the need to prepare for cold weather
• Vox: Why the Texas power grid is struggling to cope with the extreme cold 
• NY Mag: No, the Green New Deal Did Not Cause the Texas Power Outage 
• Media Matters: How Fox News is exploiting Texas’ power outages to fearmonger about clean energy
• The New Republic: Conservatives Are Seriously Accusing Wind Turbines of Killing People in the Texas Blackouts 
• The Hill: ‘I got no defense’ Ted Cruz admits in controversy over energy policies in California and Texas
• Salon: Texas Republicans mocked California for blackouts. Now their tweets are coming back to haunt them
• The Hill: Texas lawmakers’ tweets mocking California power outages resurface amid winter storm
• Axios: Biden administration sending generators to Texas amid power outages 
• The Guardian: Kamala Harris promises federal relief for Texas victims of winter storms
• The Hill: Biden speaks with governors of states hit by severe weather
• NYT: A Glimpse of America’s Future: Climate Change Means Trouble for Power Grids
• Politico: Biden gets his first energy crisis — and an opening
• LA Times: Texas blackouts show the power grid isn’t ready for climate change 
• Joe Biden.com: THE BIDEN PLAN TO BUILD A MODERN, SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE AND AN EQUITABLE CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE
• Bloomberg: Biden’s Plea to Remake Grid Gets a Boost on Texas Power Crisis 
• WSJ: Biden to Meet With Unions Pushing for Infrastructure Spending
• NBC News: Biden prepares to move to next phase of his agenda with infrastructure push 
• Politico: Biden administration talks infrastructure — but not a price tag
• WaPo Analysis: What Does a Green Grid Mean, and Can Biden Make One?
• The Atlantic: I’m Freezing Cold and Burning Mad in Texas 
• WaPo Analysis: The politics of energy generation don’t always line up with actual energy generation
• WaPo Opinion: Opinion: Insane GOP lies about Texas offer a depressing preview of coming climate debates
• Texas Tribune: Texas lawmakers have denounced Joe Biden’s energy moves, but experts say they could benefit the state 

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