Voting Rights Bill DOA As Republicans Defeat Democrats’ Attempt To Change Filibuster Rules

The top Democrats in the federal government have been working around the clock to get the Senate to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, both already passed in the House. Republicans, with the help of Senators Sinema and Manchin, defeated the Democrats’ election bills late Wednesday night.

Critics called the failed bills a Democrat effort to federalize our elections and codify into law all the uncertainty that came with the damaged 2020 election. Democrats sold them as historic bills that grant voting rights to the masses.

Regardless, the measure lost in a final 49-51 vote (52-48 until Schumer changed his vote to ‘no’ for procedural reasons) after Sinema and Manchin reaffirmed their “no” vote to change the filibuster rules. Both Senators voted yes on the voting bills, but the bills failed to get the 60 vote threshold to pass.

The Democrats shared their frustration with the Senators’ decision not to change the filibuster rules. Bernie Sanders said the two forced the rest of the Democrat caucus to “go through five months of discussions which have gotten absolutely nowhere.”

Biden said their decision “disappointed” him.

“My administration will never stop fighting to ensure that the heart and soul of our Democracy – the right to vote – is protected at all costs,” said Biden. “We will continue to work with allies to advance necessary legislation to protect the right to vote. And to push for Senate procedural changes that will protect the fundamental right to vote.”

Kamala Harris also chimed in, claiming, “The American people will not forget this moment. Neither will history.”

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson said the Democrats have successfully used the filibuster this session. Any attempt to get rid of centuries worth of Senate rules and procedures to pass the voting bills is a “naked power grab by Democrats.”

“It’s not about preserving voting rights, those rights are well established and protected,” said Sen. Johnson. “It’s because they want absolute power in the face of bad poll numbers and their own tax-and-spend policies.”

“It is up to the Senate to vote to protect our institutions and the voice of every American,” continued Johnson.

 

4 comments
  1. Kamala Harris also chimed in, claiming, “The American people will not forget this moment. Neither will history.”

    You bet we and history will remember this moment—we’ll remember as the day the Corruptocrat party failed to stack the deck in its favor.

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