8 Comments

Tucker Carlson Mad Libs--that's a keeper.

Let me play devil's advocate on the issue of voter ID. No doubt, as currently defined/used, it is a tool of disenfranchisement. But that's because the burden of compliance falls entirely on voters to figure out what's an ID and to obtain one, often at great cost and trouble. What if we flipped that? If not a national ID, then a baseline requirement for state issued IDs. I say we call Republican's bluff and embrace ID requirements so long as it's the govt's responsibility to issue one.

R's will surely find some twisted reasons for opposing it, but their hypocrisy will be on full display. We need to take this issue away from them by reframing it. Empower voters. Make the ID requirement painless.

Stacy Abrams was interviewed on NPR yesterday and as usual she offered many wise observations. One was that the conversation should be about everyone voting, not just which party/groups win or lose. I completely agree with her. There are a lot of people with a stake in this fight who don't hear themselves represented in the current way we are framing this issue.

https://www.npr.org/2021/06/17/1007493906/sweeping-voting-rights-reform-looks-unlikely-to-pass-at-the-federal-level

Expand full comment

Abrams knows what we can overcome with enough on the ground work. And what we can’t. The ID requirement polls well. Hard to fight. And elders can be driven where they need to go to get ID, at great volunteer effort. Gerrymandering is harder to beat through popular mobilization.

Expand full comment

It might be possible to add back to the compromise requirements of states requiring picture ID to facilitate acquisition. That could be another avenue for parties' voter outreach.

Expand full comment

This: "It’s impossible to tell whether Manchin is being strategic or naive." Hard to believe the naivete theory, think it is more the former. I think this is a step forward. Now what happened to bringing back the 'talking' filibuster as he had once mentioned and lowering the threshold to 55? For me, that is the next step. He MUST know that he is allowing McConnell to control the agenda, right? He is really driving me crazy with a seeming need for attention BUT, if we can add to our Senate numbers in 2022, he and his pal Sinema, can become irrelevant. WI, PA, NC, maybe FL and doubtful OHIO, but I will work my butt off for my state PA and WI bec I think Ben Wikler is just so smart.

Expand full comment

Half a loaf is better than none. Now Joe needs to get the 10 Republicans needed to get to 60.

Expand full comment

Progress not perfection.

Expand full comment

I was heartened by this news. I have always felt that the For the People Act was a very full list of voting requirements that would naturally be pared down through negotiation. Just getting the gerrymandering part would be huge and the other pieces are also really significant.

Expand full comment

I agree with you on the vagueness in both the "maintenance of voter rolls" and "voter ID with allowable alternatives" is a sign of optimism. And like you said, devil is in the detail. Allowable alternative could be stretched pretty far, like having a neighbor or roommate verify your identity. And maintenance of voter rolls is already in the job description of every SoS - so an update to that could swing toward leniency or more accountability - let's hope the latter (which would keep with the overall spirit of the bill anyway).

I'm worried about Schumer bringing a bill up to the floor next week... is it possible to bring up Manchin's filibuster reform right ahead of the vote? Or am I being way too hopeful.

Expand full comment