Democrats on Tuesday admitted that they will add the attempted federal takeover of elections to their list of legislative failures despite efforts to break the filibuster.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) made an unusual move this week to schedule a vote on two bills, the Freedom to Vote and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, even though they lack the 60 votes to pass through the Senate. Instead, the New York Democrat will attempt to convince his 50-member majority to support breaking the legislative filibuster.
However, many Democrats admitted Tuesday that the prospect of passing these bills already appears doomed, as Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) have consistently opposed breaking the 60-vote filibuster threshold.
“I just tell people we did the best that we could,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) admitted. “I just say specifically that whoever votes no on the rules change, it’s their responsibility that we couldn’t get this done.”
“This is probably one of those votes that we absolutely have to have. Whether it’s good strategy or not, it’s more important for those people whose votes are being jeopardized. It’s absolutely critical that they understand who is on their side,” Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) remarked.
Some Democrats in the House also shifted the blame to Republicans, even though Democrats do not have the votes to pass the bills.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, joined by Joe Manchin, speaks to reporters. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), said last week, “Republicans haven’t been forced into a conversation about why they would be opposing voting rights at this critical juncture. If we have to go back to people and try to explain why we don’t have voting rights, it is really important that they hear from Republicans themselves why they are blocking this critical legislation.”
Others have noted Democrats have over-promised and under-delivered with their legislative agenda. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and President Joe Biden have compared the failed Build Back Better Act to the New Deal and the Great Society programs.
Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) said, “I don’t have a problem with the focus we’re putting on the basic tenets of democracy, but we’re a big government. Do I think we’re always great at communicating? No. We have a major communication issue, and I’ve been more and more vocal because I think it’s now holding us back.”
Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.