Democrat Abrams urges lifting filibuster for U.S. election reform bill

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Stacey Abrams, an influential figure in Democratic circles, called on Sunday for the U.S. Senate to exempt election reform legislation passed by the House of Representatives over Republican opposition from a procedural hurdle called the filibuster.

"Protection of democracy is so fundamental that it should be exempt from the filibuster rules," Abrams, a former senior state legislator and unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate in Georgia who helped Democrats win two U.S. Senate runoff elections in her home state in January, told CNN's "State of the Union" program.

The Democratic-led House on March 3 passed a bill intended to reform voting procedures, increase voter participation and require states to assign independent commissions the task of redrawing congressional districts to guard against partisan manipulation.

There is a debate among Democrats, who narrowly control the Senate thanks to the two Georgia victories, on whether to modify or even eliminate the filibuster, a longstanding fixture that makes it so most legislation cannot advance without 60 votes in the 100-seat Senate rather than a simple majority.



Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/democrat-abrams-urges-lifting-filibuster-for-us-election-reform-bill/ar-BB1ezBnG?li=BBnb7Kz

[FoxNewsSucks]

1. The most important thing.

Democrats can't lose sight of that. If people can't vote, or their district's gerrymander makes their vote irrelevant, we will never be able to accomplish anything.

Furthermore, the last four years should be a wake-up call of what will happen if republicons are allowed to again seize power. They will undo everything good, and dismantle the people's government.

[dalton99a]

2. Kick

[The Mouth]

4. If we don't hold the house and Senate

and the Presidency in '24, nothing else matters.

[CrispyQ]

7. +1

New voters are fickle. And republicans have put even more obstacles to voting in place. We're going to have to GOTV as hard as we ever have. We won a battle against the fascists, but we're a long way from safe.

[KPN]

10. We'll hold it only if we protect the vote. Can't have one

without the other.

[riversedge]

17. I agree.

[dlk]

5. How many times do Republicans have to demonstrate they don't believe in democracy?

They are a direct threat to the Constitution and our democracy. We need to believe them and take proactive measures to protect ourselves. The level of their threat cannot be overstated. If an armed insurrection on the Capitol to overthrow the government isn’t enough to demonstrate their intent, what would be?

[Evolve Dammit]

6. Agreed.

[Auggie]

8. K&R

[orangecrush]

9. KICK

[cstanleytech]

11. Should be lifted to fix SCOTUS as well by increasing it to 13.

[patphil]

12. This is too important to allow the filibuster rule to stand in its way.

The right, and the ability, to vote is fundamental to the existence of our Democratic government.
We can't let a minority continue to steal the congress by voter suppression and gerrymandering.
A simple majority should be the rule here.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

13. This country was not founded on minority rule.

Overcoming a 60 vote super majority ensures there will never be a single piece of progressive legislation passed.

[andym]

14. Call it the bill of rights exception to the filibuster. Maybe the freedom exception.

Any legislation that increases the rights of the people or their "freedom" should be immune from the filibuster. I think the freedom exception would be difficult for the GOP to oppose.

[bucolic_frolic]

15. No filibusters allowed when defending the U.S.A.

They wouldn't allow it when considering an act of war, surely. It's patriotism. Whether to defend our system of government is not a subject for debate. You can debate how you defend it, or what measures to take, but not whether you should defend it at all. That would be absurd. Defending elections and the right to vote is no different.

[iluvtennis]

16. Stacey Abrams is spot on! nt

[riversedge]

18. "Protection of democracy is so fundamental that it should be exempt from the filibuster rules," Abra

"Protection of democracy is so fundamental that it should be exempt from the filibuster rules," Abrams,

[UCmeNdc]

19. K&R

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