6/8/21 Manchin Chooses Bipartisanship Over Voting Rights

Partisanship is bad. Bipartisanship is good. But is that a good enough reason to deep-six the "For the People" Voting Rights Bill?"

Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia says yes. Manchin sees a deep crevasse between the nation's two parties, and he thinks that pushing the bill through would make things even worse. He explained it all in an opinion piece in West Virginia's most prominent newspaper, the Charleston Gazette-Mail.

"Today’s debate about how to best protect our right to vote and to hold elections ... is not about finding common ground, but seeking partisan advantage," Manchin wrote. "Partisan policymaking won’t instill confidence in our democracy — it will destroy it."In a state that went for Trump by 40%, this may have readers nodding their heads. The rest of us are clutching at our hearts. What is WRONG with this guy?

Turns out Manchin favors The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. It "would update the formula states and localities must use to ensure proposed voting laws do not restrict the rights of any particular group or population," says Manchin. That, and Lisa Murkowski, R-AK, likes it too. Bipartisan support! Hurrah!

But the John Lewis Act has already tanked twice on its way to the Senate. That's why the For the People Act was written. Manchin just doesn't want to move on.

"I believe that partisan voting legislation will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy, and for that reason, I will vote against the For the People Act," Manchin wrote. "Furthermore, I will not vote to weaken or eliminate the filibuster."

That puts Biden and the rest of the Democrats in a legislative bind they didn't see coming. After all, the Senate is nominally 50-50. It's only now that we know that it's really 51-49, with Republicans in the majority. That's going to make every single initiative of the Biden administration much more difficult to pass.

Thanks a lot, Joe Manchin.

 

Do you think Joe Manchin is right about the effect of partisan politics?

Do you agree that bipartisanship is a bigger issue than the For the People Act?

Are you angry that a single senator is effectively blocking every legislative move the rest of the Democrats might make?

Summary: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/557223-the-memo-political-winds-shift-against-biden?fbclid=IwAR3Gcv-_Nu_5VWnFU0E6yew8UThMC1oRsI7Md6cHnL6p-zv6wgP84fxaX8Q

Manchin editorial: https://www.wvgazettemail.com/opinion/op_ed_commentaries/joe-manchin-why-im-voting-against-the-for-the-people-act/article_c7eb2551-a500-5f77-aa37-2e42d0af870f.html?fbclid=IwAR3qdZ6DDebqgucwZKFnX4y7vwEiheOsgrjQi43J_eAzS9hi78EeV_u0KRc