It’s Not Just Manchin and Sinema – Opinion

I have to say I’m so tired of hearing the term “voting rights” being pushed by the Democrats.

Everybody can exercise their right to vote. The Republicans have not proposed legislation to deny anyone the right of voting. What they deal with are voter integrity issues like having voter ID or ballot harvesting — that’s what Democrats don’t want because those measures help to prevent fraud.

As I noted over the weekend, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) claimed election integrity bills were a “legislative continuation of Jan. 6.” But while she said pushed that insanity, Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) gave the game away, admitting that purpose was a federal takeover of elections, claiming that the “federal elections cannot be left up to the states, should not be left up to the states.” It’s all about control.

To do this they must abolish the filibuster. The senators keep harping on the opposition that Senator Joe Manchin (D–WV)and Sen. Kyrsten Silena (D–AZ) have to ending the filibuster. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that they had to keep “pressing them and pressing them and pressing them until they do [comply].”

But it isn’t just Manchin and Sinema.

Sinema isn’t even the only person from Arizona who has issues. Senator Mark Kelly (D, AZ), isn’t yet in favor of the efforts to eliminate it.

“I’ve never been part of an organization where it’s really, really hard to do things. So if there’s a real proposal, I’ll take a look at it and evaluate it based on what’s in the best interests of the country,” Kelly said. He said he has yet to see what, exactly, he would vote on and that the proposals Democrats have discussed change “almost weekly.”

He’s not the only other one.

Sen. Chris Coons has said he’s still “seriously weighing” what to do, although he thinks it’s important to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Restoration Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. However, other Democrats spoke out as well.

Some, like Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) like a talking filibuster but are “not crazy” about making an exception for voting rights. While Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. believes reform is necessary, she is advocating for more modest improvements. She cites the near-impossible odds the party faces in getting all 50 Democrats on board for changing the filibuster unilaterally, also known as the “nuclear option.”

Schumer’s effort may expose the divisions in Democrats on this issue, but he won’t likely get rid of filibuster. If he does, it can put Kelly and others in trouble, but not get the bill passed.

“This is a tough game. They have a difficult job. Chuck did his best this year to try and be fair. We did some great things, now they’re coming down to crunch time. And I understand the position they’re in and what they’re doing,” Manchin said on Monday. “But I’ve been very clear where I am. So hopefully they respect that too.”

Given Manchin and Sinema’s staunch opposition to getting rid of the filibuster, Democrats are weighing votes on reinstalling a talking filibuster or a filibuster exemption for voting legislation as alternatives to eliminating the 60-vote threshold entirely. But making those changes would require lockstep unity and going “nuclear” — a unilateral vote to change the rules on party lines.

Bottom line, it doesn’t sound like Schumer’s going to get rid of it, and it sounds like he may hang some of his folks out to dry in the process. If they do this, it could mean that they will be even more out of luck when Republicans win the Senate. This push could be a complete sinking ship for them.

You will be amazed at how fast their positions change and how crucial the filibuster becomes to maintain, once they do.