This week Democrats will seek to record the votes of every US Senator on the matter of voting rights, despite the increasingly troubled path to passage and its looming danger for democracy
Jan 17, 2022·edited Jan 17, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss
This essay made me recall a quote from the 1st President I personally saw on TV, LBJ:
I'll tell you what's at the bottom of it. If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you.
Good morning Steven and all, I have been trying to get my arms around a solution.
Today is a day that forces me; a 63 year old white woman to face the challenges of the day.
In early 2019, the young ones all around me at work asked, ”Debbie, do you think there will be a civil war if trump loses?”
I reassured them that there might be anger, violence and screaming, but the votes would be counted and the country would move on. I told them that it’s always a tumultuous time before an election and to promise me they would VOTE!
Many knew how I felt, I detested Trump from 2015, when he first announced and I watched every presidential debate (of which I believe there were 10).
I gave him a chance, but a simple google search of trump tower Moscow and a simple acknowledgement that he was lying over and over about Stormy Daniels and his taxes, told me he was a horrible person. When the P—-y grabbing comment came out, I knew he was unfit. Over the past 5 years, 30+ percent of the country has been indoctrinated. They believe the pundits who spew nonsense. Fast forward and they believe the radio hosts who tell them about studies that say vaccines cause the virus to spread. Even as it kills their family member, they refuse to actually read reputable articles but instead watch Fox which has no integrity to report facts.
So I listened to Sinema, I listened to Romney who was asked many pertinent questions by Chuck Todd yesterday. After listening to all of the people I respect like Jim Clyburn, Pramilla Jyapal and of course our President and Vice President, I have concluded the following.
Romney made an accusation that he was never asked to discuss his views, he stated no Republican Senators have been invited and didn’t get a call to negotiate. I felt that was ingenuous because they flatly voted down even DISCUSSING a carve out of the filibuster for voting rights.
Sinema pounced on this division as a road block she would not cross or support moving. She basically walked away, saying she supports the bill but in so doing she has resigned the Senate to accept the divisive road block as status quo. The states are free to act in partisan ways to count and nullify votes as they please, instead of following Federal guide lines. Their only recourse will now be lawsuits which will undermine confidence and ultimately election process’s. So now we (those who continue to circle the road block) will try another strategy, making the Senators (whose stance seems to be concrete) shamed. They will not be shamed because they think laws are in place to allow everyone to vote. If they are in wheel chairs or unable to travel, they will have to vote by mail and I for one was appalled at what I saw in 2020. There was a pandemic and the post offices had tons of ballots yet to deliver to the precincts at the final hours. Citizens attacked these last minute votes, it was rhetoric like ‘rigged’ ‘stolen’ nothing like that is true. But just this past weekend, Trump and his lying pundits went to AZ, and the lies continue! If Biden wins again, the newly appointed “electors” and state officials will most likely refuse to confirm the election for any democrat. Nullification is the next plot to overthrow votes and thus undermine democracy. Who will stop this? Sinema?? I have confidence that the people will not allow DT to regain the Oval Office, but I do not have confidence that the people’s votes will be confirmed in ANY REPUBLICAN run state. I’m in Missouri. Our state is not among the multiple states tightening voting restrictions, making it a Federal crime to offer water or a cookie to someone in a 3 hour+ long line to vote, etc. but.... make no mistake, the current Secretary of State Eric Schmidt (R) joined in with the TX Secretary of State Ken Paxton (R indicted) to reject the presidential electoral votes! These people are the danger.. these people are going to challenge a democratic win and we really need to acknowledge that as a country! The courts will be backed up and the results will be challenged while leadership voted in by the PEOPLE sit in limbo. That’s what they wanted on Jan 6th 2021, the interim would be filled with seating new electorate officials who would refuse to accept the votes and put in partisan officials to challenge the presidential race and more.
Finally, on this day, We should acknowledge white supremacy and fear of others is the reason for division. I am not impressed with our esteemed Republican Senate today. They sit up there in their leather chairs steeped in history and refuse to see the cries of injustice. They Have 6 year terms .. Why? They become complacent and go along with a leader who tells them to not vote on bills to protect our democracy? They sit there or go home and do NOTHING!!! to stand up and at least debate in the Senate for what the majority of the people want? This country is a melting pot! This country is not all white men any more. We need diversity reflected in our Senate in every state.
That’s wrong to me, and people like Sinema need to have a strategy to stand up against injustice, not just grand stand with some empty gesture if bi-partisanship. It’s empty if you can’t make the effort to chip at the barrier! At least introduce returning the filibuster to standing up and speaking why you reject a bill passed by the house of Representatives! Work in giving people security in our vote, don’t just spout some resignation because you don’t know how to stand up for change. God bless this country and let people see truth. Let them see injustice and reject partisan lies. There are many good people in the Republican Senate but they aren’t courageous in my humble opinion. MLK and John Lewis were courageous! I salute them and ask their peaceful spirits for change to move into and around those esteemed leather chairs. Let just a few brave Senators stand up when Schumer calls them to. Stand up for justice for all and integrity for the vote of all PEOPLE.
This essay made me recall a quote from the 1st President I personally saw on TV, LBJ:
I'll tell you what's at the bottom of it. If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you.
WAVE the filibuster on constitutional rights! Modify the law through debate and listen to the dam PEOPLE! We need our vote to COUNT.
Good morning Steven and all, I have been trying to get my arms around a solution.
Today is a day that forces me; a 63 year old white woman to face the challenges of the day.
In early 2019, the young ones all around me at work asked, ”Debbie, do you think there will be a civil war if trump loses?”
I reassured them that there might be anger, violence and screaming, but the votes would be counted and the country would move on. I told them that it’s always a tumultuous time before an election and to promise me they would VOTE!
Many knew how I felt, I detested Trump from 2015, when he first announced and I watched every presidential debate (of which I believe there were 10).
I gave him a chance, but a simple google search of trump tower Moscow and a simple acknowledgement that he was lying over and over about Stormy Daniels and his taxes, told me he was a horrible person. When the P—-y grabbing comment came out, I knew he was unfit. Over the past 5 years, 30+ percent of the country has been indoctrinated. They believe the pundits who spew nonsense. Fast forward and they believe the radio hosts who tell them about studies that say vaccines cause the virus to spread. Even as it kills their family member, they refuse to actually read reputable articles but instead watch Fox which has no integrity to report facts.
So I listened to Sinema, I listened to Romney who was asked many pertinent questions by Chuck Todd yesterday. After listening to all of the people I respect like Jim Clyburn, Pramilla Jyapal and of course our President and Vice President, I have concluded the following.
Romney made an accusation that he was never asked to discuss his views, he stated no Republican Senators have been invited and didn’t get a call to negotiate. I felt that was ingenuous because they flatly voted down even DISCUSSING a carve out of the filibuster for voting rights.
Sinema pounced on this division as a road block she would not cross or support moving. She basically walked away, saying she supports the bill but in so doing she has resigned the Senate to accept the divisive road block as status quo. The states are free to act in partisan ways to count and nullify votes as they please, instead of following Federal guide lines. Their only recourse will now be lawsuits which will undermine confidence and ultimately election process’s. So now we (those who continue to circle the road block) will try another strategy, making the Senators (whose stance seems to be concrete) shamed. They will not be shamed because they think laws are in place to allow everyone to vote. If they are in wheel chairs or unable to travel, they will have to vote by mail and I for one was appalled at what I saw in 2020. There was a pandemic and the post offices had tons of ballots yet to deliver to the precincts at the final hours. Citizens attacked these last minute votes, it was rhetoric like ‘rigged’ ‘stolen’ nothing like that is true. But just this past weekend, Trump and his lying pundits went to AZ, and the lies continue! If Biden wins again, the newly appointed “electors” and state officials will most likely refuse to confirm the election for any democrat. Nullification is the next plot to overthrow votes and thus undermine democracy. Who will stop this? Sinema?? I have confidence that the people will not allow DT to regain the Oval Office, but I do not have confidence that the people’s votes will be confirmed in ANY REPUBLICAN run state. I’m in Missouri. Our state is not among the multiple states tightening voting restrictions, making it a Federal crime to offer water or a cookie to someone in a 3 hour+ long line to vote, etc. but.... make no mistake, the current Secretary of State Eric Schmidt (R) joined in with the TX Secretary of State Ken Paxton (R indicted) to reject the presidential electoral votes! These people are the danger.. these people are going to challenge a democratic win and we really need to acknowledge that as a country! The courts will be backed up and the results will be challenged while leadership voted in by the PEOPLE sit in limbo. That’s what they wanted on Jan 6th 2021, the interim would be filled with seating new electorate officials who would refuse to accept the votes and put in partisan officials to challenge the presidential race and more.
Finally, on this day, We should acknowledge white supremacy and fear of others is the reason for division. I am not impressed with our esteemed Republican Senate today. They sit up there in their leather chairs steeped in history and refuse to see the cries of injustice. They Have 6 year terms .. Why? They become complacent and go along with a leader who tells them to not vote on bills to protect our democracy? They sit there or go home and do NOTHING!!! to stand up and at least debate in the Senate for what the majority of the people want? This country is a melting pot! This country is not all white men any more. We need diversity reflected in our Senate in every state.
That’s wrong to me, and people like Sinema need to have a strategy to stand up against injustice, not just grand stand with some empty gesture if bi-partisanship. It’s empty if you can’t make the effort to chip at the barrier! At least introduce returning the filibuster to standing up and speaking why you reject a bill passed by the house of Representatives! Work in giving people security in our vote, don’t just spout some resignation because you don’t know how to stand up for change. God bless this country and let people see truth. Let them see injustice and reject partisan lies. There are many good people in the Republican Senate but they aren’t courageous in my humble opinion. MLK and John Lewis were courageous! I salute them and ask their peaceful spirits for change to move into and around those esteemed leather chairs. Let just a few brave Senators stand up when Schumer calls them to. Stand up for justice for all and integrity for the vote of all PEOPLE.