{"id":187276,"date":"2021-06-01T16:24:42","date_gmt":"2021-06-01T16:24:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/radiofree.asia\/?guid=80ddccd2908f82647461aabd466d445b"},"modified":"2021-06-01T16:24:42","modified_gmt":"2021-06-01T16:24:42","slug":"manchin-is-showing-he-considers-filibuster-more-important-than-voting-rights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/06\/01\/manchin-is-showing-he-considers-filibuster-more-important-than-voting-rights\/","title":{"rendered":"Manchin Is Showing He Considers Filibuster More Important Than Voting Rights"},"content":{"rendered":"\"Sen.<\/a>

To Sen. Joe Manchin\u2019s <\/span>utter surprise<\/span><\/a>, Senate Republicans killed the commission to investigate the January 6 Capitol attack on Friday, employing their first filibuster of this congressional session to do so. Next, Republicans are determined to use their minority rule to kill the Democrats’ crucial voting rights bill, and the West Virginia senator seems to be joining them in that mission.<\/span><\/p>\n

The For the People Act, or S.1, is a bill that would make it easier for people to vote, bar partisan gerrymandering, revise campaign financing rules to remove areas prone to corruption, and <\/span>more<\/span><\/a>. It has been hailed <\/span>time<\/span><\/a> and<\/span><\/a> time<\/span><\/a> again<\/span><\/a> over the past months as the only thing that Democrats can do to save the country from the state-level <\/span>wave<\/span><\/a> of anti-voting bills passed or in the process of being passed by Republicans — and to save democracy itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

But passage of the For the People Act is currently being held up for several reasons in the Senate, all overlapping to some extent: Republicans, centrist Democrats including Manchin, and the filibuster.<\/span><\/p>\n

Democratic senators are reportedly <\/span>having trouble<\/span><\/a> rallying up enough support for the bill, predictably, from Republicans, who will almost certainly <\/span>use the filibuster against the bill<\/span><\/a>. The GOP stands firmly against S.1 since they have made it clear that as a party they believe it should be harder to vote and that not everyone who can vote <\/span>should be allowed to<\/span><\/a> do so. The many voter suppression bills that Republicans have been passing in states under their control make that intent clear.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, Democrats are also facing resistance from their fellow party members. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) has <\/span>been trying to<\/span><\/a> unite all 50 Democratic senators in support of S.1, but Manchin is evidently against the bill, saying that it\u2019s too broad.<\/span><\/p>\n

Manchin has also insisted that the crucial voting rights bill <\/span>should be bipartisan<\/span><\/a>, though it is highly unlikely, given the GOP\u2019s current overt stance on the issue, that Democrats could succeed in getting Republicans to sign on to any voting rights. Manchin hasn\u2019t specified how he intends to rally bipartisan support for S.1, seemingly single handedly, but says that onlookers should have \u201c<\/span>faith<\/span><\/a>\u201d in the Senate. <\/span><\/p>\n

The January 6 commission was also bipartisan — Democrats made a number of <\/span>concessions<\/span><\/a> to get Republicans on board — but despite that, the bill to form the commission was blocked by a Republican filibuster. Meanwhile, Manchin\u2019s fellow defender of the filibuster, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona) <\/span>didn\u2019t even show up<\/span><\/a> for the vote.<\/span><\/p>\n

After the January 6 commission\u2019s formation was blocked on Friday, Manchin said he was disappointed. \u201cMitch McConnell makes it extremely difficult,\u201d Manchin <\/span>told reporters<\/span><\/a> of the Kentucky senator. \u201cI never thought I’d see it up close and personal that politics could trump our country. And I’m going to fight to save this country.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Many Democrats and progressives pointed out, however, that it is Manchin who is standing in the way of his party saving the country. As the <\/span>Daily Beast<\/span><\/i>\u2019s Sam Brodey <\/span>wrote<\/span><\/a> after the commission vote was blocked, Manchin is \u201cdeeply disappointed in [the] GOP and prepared to do absolutely nothing\u201d about it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Here’s my story on Joe Manchin, in which:<\/p>\n

– Manchin claims he’ll pass voting rights bills thru compromise
– Republicans say they won’t compromise
– Dems gently urge Manchin to reconsider
– Manchin does not reconsider https:\/\/t.co\/mHCDNtQmnz<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Sam Brodey (@sambrodey) June 1, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n