ZWF: We have a deal
Zander's Weekend Facts #68: Sunday, May 28, 2023
Inside this week’s edition of Zander’s Weekend Facts, a deal has been reached to raise the debt ceiling, and a look at what Zander’s been reading this past week. Plus, a compilation of the top headlines you need to know from the last seven days.
Also, go listen to the latest episode of the Zander’s Facts podcast! Episode 106 features a look at why the way the United States does their taxes isn’t the best and the ways it could be much better. Go download the Zander’s Facts podcast wherever you get your podcasts!
Here are Zander’s Weekend Facts for Sunday, May 28, 2023:
The debt ceiling crisis has been averted
Saturday night brought some relieving news for those in Washington, the United States, and around the world. Negotiators between the White House, led by President Joe Biden, and House Republicans, led by Speaker Kevin McCarthy, reached a deal to raise the federal government’s debt ceiling and avoid defaulting on the nation’s debt.
Just days before a June 5 deadline where the U.S. would no longer be able to pay its bills, a deal was reached that would raise the debt ceiling for two years while also limiting some federal spending.
Democratic and Republican negotiators agreeded to an increase in work requirements for federal aid programs, something that was included in the “Limit, Save, Grow” bill passed by House Republicans last month. Existing work requirements for able-bodied persons without children will not apply to those 54 years old and younger instead of 49 years old, with exceptions for veterans and homeless individuals. The proposal could save the government up to $130 billion over the next 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Also included in the agreement is a two-year budget deal that would hold spending flat for next year and increase spending by just 1% in 2025. The deal also attempts to streamline the process of federal permitting for energy projects and transmission lines by designating a single lead agency to develop environmental reviews.
The two-year bill means that the debt ceiling would not come into play again until after the 2024 election.
In speaking on the “agreement in principle,” both sides noted that this is not the end and that a bill must be able to garner a majority of votes in both houses of Congress.
For Democrats, increased work requirements for federal aid programs like Medicaid and SNAP could be a nonstarter, while some Republicans may not be inclined to vote for an increase to the debt ceiling at all.
However, in order to avoid an economic catastrophe, something must be passed by Congress and signed by the president that raises the debt ceiling by June 5. While we haven’t gotten to the finish line, Saturday night’s news means we are a lot closer.
For more information on this week’s top story, here’s an article from AP News - Biden GOP agree to 2 year budget-debt ceiling deal, work requirements for food aid
What Zander’s been reading
One of the biggest detriments to buying an electric vehicle right now is the time it takes to charge up. But there’s one company that’s looking to overcome that challenge, by letting you swap out your battery instead.
Check out this week’s featured article on Business Insider - This new electric car could charge in the time it takes to fill a gas tank thanks to battery-swapping tech - (Apple News link)
Zander’s Facts Sporting Club
Here are the top headlines from the sports world in the ZF Sporting Club:
NBA Playoffs: There will be a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals between the #8 Miami Heat and #2 Boston Celtics. Last night’s Game 6 ended in dramatic fashion, with the Celtics’ Derrick White scoring a game-winning tip-in bucket at the buzzer just three seconds after Jimmy Butler made three free throws to put the Heat ahead. Game 7 takes place tomorrow night in Boston at 8:30 pm et on TNT with the winner advancing to the NBA Finals. If the Celtics win, they’ll become the first team in NBA history to win a series after trailing 3-0. The #1 Denver Nuggets swept the #7 Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals to advance to their first NBA Finals in franchise history.
NHL Playoffs: The Florida Panthers have already clinched their spot in the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Finals, their first trip to the final round of the playoffs since 1996. The Panthers swept the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning two of the four games in overtime and scoring the winning goal in Game 4 with 4.9 seconds left. In the Western Conference Finals, the Vegas Golden Knights currently lead the Dallas Stars 3-2 in the series after Dallas won Game 5 on Saturday night. Game 6 takes place in Dallas on Monday night at 8:00 pm et on ESPN. If the Stars win, Game 7 will take place in Las Vegas on Wednesday night at 9:00 pm et on ESPN. The winner of the series will face the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Finals, which will begin on Saturday on TNT.
Sunday Raceday: This Memorial Day Sunday marks one of the biggest days on the racing calendar, with major races taking place on the three largest circuits. At 9:00 am et on ABC, the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix takes place on one of the world’s most iconic tracks, through the streets of Monaco. Then at 12:00 pm et on NBC, the IndyCar Indianapolis 500 takes place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Finally at 6:00 pm et, NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 returns from Charlotte Motor Speedway.
European Club Soccer: The end of the club soccer season in Europe continues to unfold, with the English Premier League wrapping up later today. All 20 teams will be in action at 11:30 am et with all 10 matches airing on Peacock. Manchester City has already wrapped up the title, but who will be relegated remains a question. In yesterday’s promotion playoff final to determine the final of the three teams that will be promoted to the Premier League, Luton Town beat Coventry City in penalties. In the other top leagues, Bayern Munich clinched their 11th straight Bundesliga title yesterday in Germany, and Paris Saint-Germain won their second-straight Ligue 1 title in France. Barcelona has already clinched La Liga in Spain while Napoli has won Serie A in Italy.
Carmelo Anthony: Ten-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony announced his retirement from basketball on Monday. Anthony, who played for six teams in the NBA, most notably the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks, won an NCAA National Championship during his lone season at Syracuse in 2003. Anthony perhaps played his best basketball for Team USA, scoring a national record of 37 points against Nigeria in the 2012 Olympics. Anthony represented the U.S. in four Olympic games, also an American record.
Rapid-fire Facts
These are top news headlines from the past week in rapid-fire fashion:
Texas AG Impeached: Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton was impeached by the state House of Representatives on Saturday. The 20 articles of impeachment against Paxton include allegations of bribery, obstruction of justice, and abuse of public trust. Paxton was also indicted on securities fraud charges in 2015 but hasn’t stood trial, and has been under investigation by the FBI for allegedly using his office to help a donor. The 121-23 vote in the Texas House included 60 Republicans voting to impeach Paxton. The Texas Senate will now conduct a trial over the articles of impeachment. 2/3rds of the 31-member Senate is needed to remove Paxton from office and permanently ban him from holding public office.
Jan. 6 Sentencings: Several key figures in the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol were sentenced last week. Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the far-right Oath Keepers group, was sentenced to 18 years in prison after he was found guilty of seditious conspiracy and other charges. Richard Barnett, who posed in the infamous photo with his feet on the desk of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was sentenced to four years in prison on charges including civil disorder and obstruction of an official proceeding. Two more members of the Oath Keepers were sentenced on Saturday, with Jessica Watkins being sentenced to eight years and six months and Kenneth Harrelson being sentenced to four years in prison.
Ron DeSantis: Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis formally launched his campaign for president last week. DeSantis officially announced his bid on a Twitter Spaces stream with Elon Musk, which was plagued by technical errors. DeSantis is seen by many as the top Republican challenger in the 2024 race to former President Donald Trump, who is currently leading Republican primary polls. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott also launched a presidential bid last week, bringing the number of Republicans officially running to seven.
South Carolina Abortion: South Carolina became the latest state to implement new restrictions on abortion rights last week. Lawmakers in the state passed a bill that would ban most abortions after six weeks. However, the law has not gone into effect after a judge ruled the law must be reviewed by the state Supreme Court. Previously, the court struck down a 2021 law that banned abortions once cardiac activity could be detected.
Netflix Password Sharing: Netflix began its long-awaited crackdown on password sharing in the U.S. last week. Under the company’s new terms, users of an account who don’t reside at the account’s “household” will have to pay extra. For accounts subscribed to the $15.49 per month Standard plan or the $19.99 per month Premium plan, additional users can be added for $7.99 per month each. Only one additional user can be added to the Standard plan, while two can be added to the Premium plan. Accounts subscribed to the $6.99 per month Standard with Ads or $9.99 Basic plans won’t be able to add any additional users.
Wrapping up the Facts
Before this edition of Zander’s Weekend Facts wraps up, here’s another reminder to check out the latest episodes of the Zander’s Facts podcast. Download and listen to the latest episode of the podcast, along with every episode of Zander’s Facts, wherever you get your podcasts.
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You can also listen to every episode of the podcast on this very website. All Zander’s Facts podcast episodes are now available on zandersfacts.substack.com under the “Zander’s Facts” tab for your enjoyment! That includes the next episode of the Zander’s Facts podcast, which comes out this Wednesday!
That’s a wrap on this week’s edition of Zander’s Weekend Facts. The facts in print return next Sunday, June 4, 2023.
