Remember a few weeks ago when America was careening toward a debt-ceiling cliff, a fiscal crisis that would plunge us into economic catastrophe, stock-market collapse and 401k apocalypse?

Then, suddenly – poof! presto! abracadabra! – it was gone. We avoided the cliff. We dodged disaster. Our pensions and portfolios are safe. The economy rolls on, creating 339,000 new jobs in May.

Thanks, President Biden!

Quietly, patiently and without drama, he and his team negotiated a deal that saved the economy, preserved the safety net and even saved face for Kevin McCarthy – and saved his speakership.

Yes, left-wing Democrats are unhappy with some cuts. And right-wing Republicans are unhappy there aren’t more.

Somehow, from the toxic partisan swamp of today’s politics, Biden – and McCarthy, give him credit – managed to make bipartisanship, deal-making and negotiation work.

Maybe there’s hope for us yet.