Civic Register
| 11.3.21
Democrats' Latest Election Reform Bill Blocked in the Senate
How do you feel about the vote?
What’s the story?
- The Senate on Wednesday failed to advance yet another election reform bill introduced by Democrats amid opposition from nearly all Republicans, although unlike the prior votes such as those in June and October, they did get the backing of one GOP senator.
- Wednesday’s vote failed 50-49, falling well short of the 60 votes needed to successfully overcome the legislative filibuster. It was procedural in nature and occurred on a motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed, which if successful would’ve allowed debate to continue and amendment votes to occur even though another cloture vote with a 60 vote threshold would’ve been required before a vote on final passage.
- All Democrats voted in favor of advancing the bill, known as the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) changed his vote from “yea” to “nay” so that he can recall the motion for another vote in the future more quickly than if he were to reintroduce it using regular procedures. It’s unclear if, or when, another vote will occur.
- Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) was the lone Republican to vote in favor. While Murkowski explained that she opposes the bill in its current form as it was brought to the floor, she voted in favor because she supports a substitute amendment she negotiated with Sens. Pat Leahy (D-VT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Joe Manchin (D-WV).
What they’re saying
- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) spoke on the floor to blast Republicans for blocking Democrats’ latest election reform bill, while also taking aim at the legislative filibuster:
“Democrats have laid out the facts for months: we are witnessing - at the state level - the greatest assault on voting rights since the era of segregation. Before our very eyes, the heirs of Jim Crow are weakening the foundations of our democracy. And by blocking debate today, Senate Republicans are implicitly endorsing these partisan Republican actions to suppress the vote and unravel our democracy…
The filibuster is used far more today than ever before - by some measures ten times as much compared to decades past. Some might wonder if any of the great accomplishments of the past would have a chance of passage today. Would the Social Security Act pass the modern Senate? Or what about the Medicare and Medicaid Acts? Or what about the Civil Rights Act of 1964? We sure hope they would, but it is difficult to see that with the way this chamber works today.”
- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) spoke on the floor to call Democrats’ bill a partisan power grab and note that some of its provisions are being rejected as standalone ballot measures in deep-blue jurisdictions like Schumer’s home state of New York:
“This has become an almost-weekly routine: My friends on the other side trying to give Washington unprecedented power over how Americans vote. We don’t have an NDAA or an appropriations process, but we always have time for these stunts. In many of these bills, congressional Democrats propose to make themselves into a national Board of Elections. Today there’s a small difference: They want to hand that power to Attorney General Garland. Different branch of government; same bad idea...
Yesterday, the deep blue state of New York had two of Democrats’ signature proposals for weaker elections on the ballot as ballot measures. Citizens got to vote on whether to open the door to two changes that politicians wanted: Same-day registration and no-excuse absentees. And as of the latest tally a few minutes ago, both proposals are losing. They are currently both losing about 60-40. Even in deep blue New York, citizens appear to be rejecting Democrats’ demands for weaker elections.”
— Eric Revell
(Photo Credit: McConnell: Gage Skidmore via Flickr / Creative Commons | Schumer: Senate Democrats via Flickr / Creative Commons)
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The filibuster needs to be modified for voting and to protect our democracy but Senator Manchin being a Republican agent will never agree to modify or rid the filibuster for voting
Get rid of the filibuster. The republicans have lost their minds. Democracy is precious. It needs to be protected. Voting is the foundation. Once votes are cast, they should be counted fairly. The only fraud happening is the Republican fraud.
The Republican Party makes me vomit.
This is where the rubber meets the road for this country's future as a free Republic. If we are unable to freely and fairly cast our votes and there is no guarantee that it will be correctly appropriated then we no longer have a free country. One party is hoping it can remain in power always and is setting up itself to do so by hoping to make null and void the votes of the American people. Congress needs to legislate on this matter NOW to protect all Americans. I strongly suggest that the voting Rights bills be voted on and made into Law!
We must protect voting rights for all Americans in this country an right now the Republicans are one’s who don’t want every Americans to vote be cause of racist an fascism viewpoints.
It is vital for our democracy to pass this bill.
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Democrats, your slim majority will not last after next year. Citizens (Meadows, Bannon) openly defy the Jan 6 committee subpoenas and feel no repercussions. The American people feel outrage for the criminal acts of Jan 6 and see only hand wringing, disagreement, in-fighting and chaos from the Democrats. Garland does nothing. The Dems seem keen only on addressing food waste, Clearly the Dems are unfit to lead. That means that the Republicans will take over next year and finish the job of dismantling democracy that McConnell and Trump started. Democrats, Step up now! Abolish the Filibuster! Start leading! Enforce the law! Do what we elected you to do.
Trumplicans cannot say leave it to the state and turn around and say why did states changed the voting laws in 2020, we need to investigate. It's confusing and non produced. We are not stupid. You cannot file a lawsuit or make the people pay for wasteful audits and say no we should leave voting laws to the state. We know you are trying to take away our voting writes. The book Democracy In Chain discuss this issue.
If voting rights are enforced the Republican party will evaporate.
Happy to see this Election Reform Bill defeated. It will only put our elections further at risk of manipulation and fraud.
Sanity prevails. Stop the steal as votes should be legitimate and verifiable.
If paul gosar is not prosecuted censured arrested immediately it clearly shows that we are no longer a country of law and order! Democracy is dead America has failed Gop is now clearly an agglomeration of sociopaths, wannabe dictators, liars, climate deniers, simpletons and scumbags
Voting should be made easier not more difficult. Why can’t we vote from our cell phones or our computer.
Cowards!
We need voting to be the same all over our country.
Republican legislators all over the country are trying to hinder the right to vote in this country. They must all be voted out. Their party has been corrupted and is no longer interested in the rule of law.
Holding McConnell and al these old white obstructionist grifters and wackos gqp nutjobs responsible for destroying democracy .. if you ate a citizen of the US you should be able to cast your vote unharrassed and unhindered .. this is absolute BS
Awesome hello people illegals means there breaking the law being in USA so they should not be able to vote in USA since there breaking USA laws how hard is that for you liberals and Democrats o yes I forgot Democrats and liberals don't believe in obeying the laws of USA
Without this protection we will ultimately descend to the authoritarian level to join Russia, China, Indonesia and the rest of that ilk. To watch our democracy die without a fight...