Weekend thread: What's going on?

Democrats poised to pass massive climate, tax, health care bill. Indiana passes near-total abortion ban, plunging GOP into chaos. Economy appears to be booming, defying media recession narrative.

The Senate parliamentarian has given the thumbs up to using the budget reconciliation process — and thus, only 50 votes needed with Vice President Harris breaking the tie — for the Inflation Reduction Act, making only minor changes.

And with Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema now aboard, the bill will pass after debate this weekend, marking the largest investment in green energy in history .and finally allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies — among many other powerful provisions.

This is a massive win — for the American people and for Democrats heading into the mid-terms. And the Kansas abortion rights landslide, coupled with the jobs numbers that defied the recession-obsessed media, were further indications this week that Democrats are not headed for doom this fall and could see turnout upend all of the predictions by the DC pundits.