February 14th 2020

By Joan McCarter

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There are dozens of critical bills from the House Democrats in Mitch McConnell's trash can, never to see the Senate floor. Gun safety, environmental protection, election security, voting rights, healthcare bills—dozens and dozens of things that matter to the American public. What will he do, besides churn out dozens of unqualified judges for Trump? Bring up extreme anti-abortion bills that are unconstitutional and cannot pass in the Senate because they won't reach 60 votes. But it gives his vulnerable Republicans, including Susan Collins, "gimme" votes they can take back home and tout.

McConnell teed up two such bills Thursday for votes later in the month, one that bans abortions after 20 weeks and one that does nothing, because the thing it bans does not exist. That would be the "Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act." The bills have never reached a 60-vote threshold, but by holding votes, he can shore up the rabid forced-birther base and give his vulnerable senators something they can say they did.

On the flip side, it gives Collins something to vote against, so she can try to prop up her supposed pro-choice credibility. As if she hadn't voted to put the Supreme Court firmly in the forced birth lane with her vote for Brett Kavanaugh in 2018.

It won't work for Collins, it won't work for McConnell. It will motivate more women to end the Republican majority in the Senate.

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