This is most welcome news. Chuck Schumer and Joe Manchin have reached an understanding on the For the People Act and all 50 Democratic senators are now onboard. The Hill:
Under the deal, Manchin will provide a 50th Democratic vote on advancing the For the People Act, though it will still fail to overcome Tuesday’s procedural hurdle because of a GOP filibuster that requires 60 votes. But being unified, Democrats hope, will keep the focus on GOP opposition to the bill.
Schumer said that if Democrats were able to start debate on the bill, something they won’t be able to do because of across-the-board Republican opposition, he would give Manchin a vote on his proposal as a substitute amendment in exchange for voting “yes” on Tuesday. It would be the first amendment considered.
“Over the past month, I have worked to eliminate the far reaching provisions of S.1, the For the People Act – which I do not support. I’ve found common ground with my Democratic colleagues on a new version of the bill that ensures our elections are fair, accessible and secure,” Manchin said in a statement.
“Today I will vote ‘YES’ to move to debate this updated voting legislation as a substitute amendment to ensure every eligible voter is able to cast their ballot and participate in our great democracy,” he added. […]
Manchin has said he can’t support the bill as it was introduced. Instead, he circulated a list of what he can and cannot support. He said he supports making Election Day a public holiday, mandating at least 15 consecutive days for early voting in federal elections, banning gerrymandering and setting up voter registration through state motor vehicle departments.
This is certainly progress. Kudos.
Given what Manchin says he does support, what was in the original bill that he *couldn’t* support?
wading through freshly mixed cement in a pair of disposable rubber boots, the expert teams that can smooth out a concrete slab so smooth and almost polished to a shine, know the truth of the matter … a limited amount of time as soon as the wet mix is let alone to rest, it will change from a heavy fluid state to a solid, strong and useful surface …
Along with the original team placing the fluid concrete into forms, pushing it out into all the nooks and crannies, leveling it with boards slid across the top of the forms, there is a critical time when the concrete is nearly fully set that the finishers can go to work with their special tools and even motorized large surface trowels …drawing the surface into that smooth, easy to maintain surface …
Compared to this process, the Republicans are embedded in the original pour of fresh mixed concrete, they are taking their time to destroy our democracy … fighting their criminal obstructions … criminal because they are holding up the massive process of rebuilding our economy, repairing a highway system that was only going to last 25 years with the technology of the time, reinforce and expand our grid systems, hardening everything against cyber attacks … the list is long, however, the importance of the voting rights and ease of voting is SO important, even our State of Iowa, which has had all the bases covered for years without one glitch … now our RED obtuse Governor and contaminated local lawmakers are pushing all kinds of restrictions onto a system that is NOT broken but WILL BE if there is not a National solution …
We are SO frustrated with these dimwits ruining our tradition of fairness and their complete upheaval of standards put in place years ago …