Update 557 – Senate Ds Back Freedom to Vote,But Will Senators Be Free to Vote on Passage? The Freedom to Vote Act (FVA), based almost entirely on the previous iteration, HR 1/S 1, has been introduced, with the support of every Senate Democrat. The new bill preserves many of the major provisions of the Democrats’ sweeping bill filibustered …
Update 555 — Reforming Money in Politics:Compromise’s Promise on Campaign Finance Word is just in, Democratic Senators have agreed to a new compromise political reform bill — the “Manchin compromise” — that is expected to be introduced as the Senate returns. Many years of work on the political reform bill of a generation are coming to legislative fruition. Senate …
The 2020 census data released last week depicts a paradox. The country grew by only 7.4 percent in the past decade, slower than any decade except the 1930s. Just seven House seats will shift states, far below average. But the U.S. population continues to diversify — more people, and from more backgrounds, are living in …
Update 539 — Senate Vote on S. 1 MotionRaises Specter at Last of Filibuster Reform Performing an emergency procedure with S. 1, the For the People Act, on life support, Majority Leader Charles Schumer got every Democratic Senator on board to proceed to a vote on the bill. Every GOP Senator opposed the motion to …
Update 536 — Appeal for Reconsideration:WV Open Letter to Sen. Manchin re S. 1 Vote Today’s update comes in the form of an open letter to Senator Joe Manchin following his recent Op-ed in the West Virginia Gazette stating his opposition to S. 1, the For the People Act, in current form. The views expressed …
Update 533 — Senate Democrats PoisedTo Debate, Decide Meaning of Majority Rule Americans are about to be treated to an extended debate about the recondite rules of the U.S. Senate. Arcane and archaic, Senate procedure requires supermajorities for passage of veto overrides, treaties and impeachment — as provided by the Constitution. But the Senate has …
Update 529: H.R. 1/S.1 Tied Up in Cmte.After 9-9 Vote, Whither Political Reform? The comprehensive political reform bill known as the For the People Act (H.R. 1/S. 1) passed the House in March 2019 and again in March 2021. With a new President and a narrowly Democratic Congress, the bill has a chance to become …
Update 513 — Stasis in the SenatePuts Filibuster Rule in the Spotlight As President Biden and Congressional Democrats have been preparing and delivering the $1.9 trillion Corona relief bill, the GOP has been busy as well. Republican state legislatures and governors, unable to overturn the results of the 2020 elections, are focused on restricting voting …
Update 511 — House Passes Political Reform:HR 1, Test Case for Senate Filibuster Review? On Wednesday night, the House passed HR 1, the For the People Act, by a near-party line vote of 220-210. HR 1 is a comprehensive revision of the rules of engagement in American politics, nothing short of that; in fact, it …
Update 501 – H.R. 1/S. 1’s Case for Primacy:Democracy Distorted, Thwarted is Denied The gold standard in democracy is one person one vote and a legislature where 50 percent-plus rules. But recent outcomes in our elections have violated these principles with distorted consequences. In the most egregious case, House Democratic candidates won more than a …
