I’m not sure what Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) thought he was going to get by pushing a vote on the Democratic effort to federalize elections (which they call ‘voting rights’) and on the filibuster.
Schumer knew that he was likely to get a “no” on the filibuster from Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ). They’ve only been holding fast on the subject for months. Both also were very firm on the subject in speeches — Sinema earlier in the week and Manchin earlier on Wednesday. It wasn’t happening, they said.
But Schumer decided to commit electoral suicide anyway, and he got it tonight.
Here’s the vote.
U.S. Senate FAILS to change filibuster rules, 52-48.
60-vote threshold remains intact. pic.twitter.com/mMB3pzLqZ9
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 20, 2022
Breaking: Senate Republicans, along with Democratic Sens. Manchin and Sinema, have just blocked changing the filibuster rules for Democrats' voting rights and election package.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 20, 2022
Manchin and Sinema voted with the Republicans to keep the filibuster.
Here are some of the political reactions to the news.
MCCONNELL: The Senate will be saved tonight. America can breath a sign of relief. This radicalism will have been stopped. It is a good day for America. pic.twitter.com/qturUUXfs6
— Suzanne Youngblood Lane (@SuzYoungblood) January 20, 2022
Schumer doesn’t seem to get that he just lost, and that’s it.
Inaction is not an option on voting rights
Because Republicans blocked these bills that protect the right to vote:
We’re going to vote on changing Senate rules for these bills
The Senate must choose in favor of our democracy
The Senate must stand up and defend voting rights
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 20, 2022
Joe Biden was similarly in fantasy land.
I am profoundly disappointed that the Senate has failed to stand up for our democracy. I am disappointed — but I am not deterred.
We will continue to advance necessary legislation and push for Senate procedural changes that will protect the fundamental right to vote.
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 20, 2022
Perhaps the angriest person was Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). This is lunacy on parade. Throw away your principles to get what we want, Sanders essentially railed. Even though everyone has the right to vote and the Democrats’ bills aren’t about that at all.
.@BernieSanders: "I can understand Republicans, but […] I do not understand why two Democrats who presumably understand the importance of the Freedom to Vote Act […] are not prepared to change the rules so that bill could actually become law." https://t.co/zZ7SS0QMD5 pic.twitter.com/OR7ACoQx6L
— The Hill (@thehill) January 20, 2022
It’s a very good day when this kind of mania doesn’t prevail, and sanity prevails. Democrats don’t even get how this will help them because they are going to lose the Senate and be in the minority after the November election. Then you will see them flip one more time, talking about the importance of preserving the filibuster.
Story cited here.