The Republicans sink the “For the people Act” in the Senate, the Democratic bill to expand voting rights, already approved in the House in March without the support of the Grand Old party. It was a procedural vote to open the debate but the opposition has exploited the filibustering rules, which require a quorum of 60 senators out of 100 (Democrats have 50). The appeals and warnings of Joe Biden (who made it a priority on his agenda) and Barack Obama went unheeded.
“The battle is far from over. I have been engaged in this work all my career and we will strengthen our efforts to win again, for the people, for our true democracy,” comments the president of the United States. “It was the suppression of a law to put an end to the suppression of the vote, another attack on voting rights, sadly unprecedented,” Biden said, praising the unity of the dem and criticizing the “solid republican wall of opposition” .
“For the People Act” is a vast electoral reform project strongly supported by Biden to counter some legislative initiatives carried out in a series of Republican-led states. It is a radical bill, followed personally by Vice President Kamala Harris, which in addition to establishing national voting standards also changes the composition of the Federal Electoral Commission, revises the financing of the electoral campaign, sets new rules on the reorganization of Congress and new ethical guidelines for presidents and vice presidents.
The Republicans have made a solid wall, arguing that it is a coup by the Democrats to seize power forever and evoking the baseless accusations of electoral fraud launched by Donald Trump. The Gran Old party did not want to open the discussion even on a compromise proposal by John Manchin, the most moderate of the dem senators. A proposal publicly endorsed by Barack Obama and by Biden himself.
For the Democrats, this is a crucial reform to strengthen and expand voting rights, deemed under attack after the assault on Congress by Trump fans who wanted to overturn the outcome of the presidential elections. Now the dem could consider changing the rules of filibuster. Biden has so far said he is against it, betting on a bipartisan collaboration but the continuing wall of the Republicans could lead him to reconsider. At stake are its maxi-plans for work and infrastructure, but also other laws such as those on weapons, police reform and immigration, all key issues in view of the 2022 Midterm elections.
The president also has to contend with the party left, increasingly frustrated by the stalemate of the agenda due to republican obstruction.
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