CHARLES M. BLOW: Last Chance to Save American Democracy

[maestrob]

Oct. 17, 2021
By Charles M. Blow
Opinion Columnist

Senator Chuck Schumer, the majority leader, has indicated that he plans to schedule a vote for Wednesday to open debate on a new voting rights bill, the Freedom to Vote Act.

The bill would set national standards for early voting, expand voting by mail, allow the use of more forms of voter identification, make Election Day a federal holiday and institute measures to counter voter suppression tactics. It would also automate voter registration, force states to give voters the option to register on Election Day and offer safeguards against voter purges. Finally, it would overhaul portions of the campaign finance system, prohibit partisan gerrymandering and prevent the politicized removal of election officials, among other changes.

This is a compromise bill, but it is still a good bill that would go a long way toward protecting the country’s electoral system and preventing Republicans around the country from instituting a new electoral Jim Crow.

Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia — who opposed an earlier, bolder version of the bill and who opposes getting rid of the filibuster — helped craft the compromise version. He’s now invested. (This was a shrewd tactical move by Democrats, I must say.) Manchin is lobbying Republicans to support the bill — to little avail, unfortunately.

The bill is unlikely to get the 60 votes needed — all 50 Democratic senators, as well as 10 Republicans — to overcome a Republican filibuster.

What happens when Republicans filibuster the bill? Will Manchin be willing to let a bill that he helped write go down? Or will he alter or eliminate the filibuster?

This is a once in a generation moment, one pivotal to the very survival of the country as we know it.

Donald Trump and the Republican officials enthralled and entranced by him have elevated the lie of election fraud to such a degree that many Republican voters consider it one of their top priorities, which in turn gives Republican officials cover to unleash their oppression.

At an Iowa rally last week, Trump said of his election lie: “And I’m telling you, the single biggest issue, as bad as the border is, it’s horrible, horrible what they’re doing. They’re destroying our country. As bad as that is, the single biggest issue, the issue that gets the most, the most pull, the most respect, the biggest cheers is talking about the election fraud of 2020 presidential election. Nobody’s ever seen anything like it.”

That last line may well be true.

Republicans around the country have taken the distrust Trump has created and woven it into policy. They are using the lie that the electoral system was rigged to literally rig the electoral system.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice, since January, “19 states have enacted 33 laws that will make it harder for Americans to vote,” making 2021 an “unprecedented year” for these bills. And those were just the ones that passed. As the center pointed out, “More than 425 bills with provisions that restrict voting access have been introduced in 49 states in the 2021 legislative sessions.”

This season of oppression shouldn’t be considered a one-and-done proposition. It is very likely the beginning of an era of oppression — unless Congress intervenes.

Republican legislatures are right now drawing redistricting maps that lock in their advantages, by drawing districts that advantage white voters and disadvantage nonwhite ones — just take a look at what’s happening in Texas. The road to Democrats’ maintaining control of both the House and the Senate was already difficult, but with widespread voter suppression, the path looks even more daunting.

If Trump decides to run again in 2024 (and he is already hinting that he will), voter suppression will up his chances of winning. With Trump once again in the White House, a Republican Congress would be able to federalize voter suppression. (If they found themselves in the position the Democrats do now, they wouldn’t bat an eye at eliminating the filibuster to have their way.)

Republican groups are already working to draft legislation so that they have it ready to introduce in Congress if Trump is elected. Brooke Rollins, the president of the America First Policy Institute and a former policy director in the Trump White House, recently told Politico that “if we do our job right, we will have a package of model legislation” to bring federal policy in line with restrictive states’.

For Democrats, this voting rights bill is a top priority, but from now until something is passed, it should be the only priority. In another time, I would think that the infrastructure and reconciliation bills should take precedence. It’s impossible to argue that we don’t need those things. It is also impossible to argue that many of the provisions would not disproportionately benefit poor people and Black and Hispanic people.

But even if you have glistening infrastructure in a fascist state, you are still in a fascist state. If you get two years of community college free in a fascist state, you are still in a fascist state. If more people get broadband access, more people will be able to search for what it means to live in a fascist state.

Protecting ballot access is the only thing that matters right now.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/17/opin ... gress.html

[Rach3]

Cedar Rapids , Iowa Gazette, Oct.14 :

There were two big events in Iowa last Saturday that drew national attention.

One was the Penn State-Iowa football game, a battle between the fourth- and third-ranked teams in the nation that drew 69,000 fans to Kinnick Stadium.

The other was a Donald Trump rally, a battle between the former president and the God’s honest truth, which drew thousands of his fans to the State Fairgrounds. His backers claim 40,000 people showed up.

Which one did I attend? I wore bumblebee bib overalls, if that tells you anything.

Iowa fans cheered in thunderous unison for a team that features one of the nation’s best defenses.

Iowa’s Republican leaders, including Gov. Kim Reynolds, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson and U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, stood in unison to support Trump as he repeated the indefensible Big Lie about a stolen election to tackle our democracy.

Trump could have been flagged, repeatedly, for flagrant dishonesty. But our GOP refs swallowed their whistles as the Donald ranted.

Iowa forced turnovers.

Republicans lined up to see the ultimate comb over.

Iowa fans waved at the children’s hospital.

Trump fans waved goodbye to sanity.

Iowa fans booed Penn State injuries they thought were faked.

Trump fans cheered reckless claims we know are fake.

The decibel level of Iowa fans’ roaring cheers as the Hawkeyes made a gutsy comeback in the second half spoke volumes about the game’s importance. The silence of our elected leaders in the face of Trump’s roaring ramble spoke volumes about their gutless fealty to an authoritarian bully.

Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras connected with Nico Ragaini on a 44-yard pass play in the fourth quarter that proved to be the winning touchdown. So brilliant.

Grassley connected with Trump for a 2022 endorsement, which Iowa’s senator said he accepted because a recent poll showed Trump with 91 percent support among Iowa Republicans. Just months ago, Grassley was sharply critical of Trump’s role in inciting his supporters to storm the Capitol. So darkly cynical.

Iowa fans stormed the field after the 23-20 victory. Footage shows happy fans and players celebrating a high point in Iowa football history.

Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 carrying weapons and confederate flags. Footage showed violence and vandalism, a low point in American history. Iowa Republicans don’t seem to care.

Some Penn State fans complained that Iowa’s win was undeserved because the Hawks knocked the Nittany Lions’ star quarterback Sean Clifford out of the game, although injuries are part of the game. Many Trump supporters complain that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump by Joe Biden, although getting the most electoral votes is how you win the game.

Sports commentators said Iowa’s win puts them in a strong position to play for the Big Ten title and perhaps make the College Football Playoffs. A special season is within Iowa’s grasp.

Political commentators saw the Trump rally as an ominous sign that Republicans are willing to overlook Trump’s assault on democracy and push for a second catastrophic Trump term in 2024. The danger that may lie ahead is difficult to grasp. Democracy might get knocked out of the game.

(319) 398-8262; todd.dorman@thegazette.com

[maestrob]

What I don't get is that Democrats are again so complacent. Barely 1/3 think that the former guy is a threat to democracy, while roughly 2/3 of Republicans think that democracy is under threat FROM DEMOCRATS!

Democracy is not, repeat NOT about having you cake and eating it too.

It's about compromise and meeting in the middle. Learning to live together in harmony. Celebrating our differences, etc.

The real President was totally on point in last night's CNN town hall with Anderson Cooper. Nevertheless, we're in for some rough seas in the very near future.