Richard Procida for BuzzFlash: The For the People Act Is Needed to Save Democracy
The battle for voting rights remains of paramount importance. (H2Woah!)
August 16, 2021
By Richard Procida
On January 6th, we witnessed a failed coup attempt. Now, another attempt is ongoing. The Republican filibuster of the For the People Act means that we will face an avalanche of propaganda, gerrymandering, and voter suppression that could lead to a Fascist regime intent on never giving up power.
Some politicians have decided that democracy is no longer in their interest. So they proposed more than 400 bills in 49 states restricting access to voting. Eighteen states have already passed thirty of these laws. Additionally, the Supreme Court is so improperly loaded with conservatives that it cannot be relied upon to protect our constitutional democracy from the rise of authoritarianism in American and around the globe. Now corrupt politicians are set to use the new census data to gerrymander congressional districts, choosing their voters rather than the other way around. If these far-right politicians take power, they will dismantle democracy and enact laws that ensure they remain in office indefinitely.
We demand that the Senate pass the For the People Act, to set national standards to ensure that every citizen can freely and easily vote. Every law-abiding citizen has the sacred and fundamental right to vote, the God-given right to govern ourselves (Genesis 1:28). We cannot lose our right to vote because we do not have identification, went to the wrong polling station, or failed to register in time. Everyone should have ready access to ballot boxes, early voting, same-day registration, and vote by mail so we can all freely and conveniently vote.
Americans support the provisions of the For the People Act. They want easy access to voting, and they do not want politicians and partisan election officials overturning election results. Americans want the freedom to vote in a transparent process we trust. We need to be able to hold our leaders accountable on the issues that most affect us. Yet Republicans continue to block debate on legislation necessary to protect and advance democracy.
Far-right politicians are determined to undermine public confidence in the 2020 election. They use the Big Lie to pass anti-democratic laws. Meanwhile, they filibuster voting rights legislation.
Republicans are abusing the filibuster. They are using it to undermine democracy and block debate on important legislation. We can eliminate the filibuster; it is not in the Constitution. Congress has changed it before; we can change it again. Historically, politicians have used it to block civil rights legislation.
It is too easy to block debate. Republicans are using the filibuster to undermine democracy and block President Biden's priorities. It is up to the Democrats to stop the abuse, to protect our fundamental right to vote and deliver on their promises.
The Senate's failure to pass the For the People Act means that one in two Americans could live in gerrymandered districts for the next decade. We need districts that represent the interests of our communities, not the interests of political parties and politicians.
We demand that the Senate pass the For the People Act to stop gerrymandering and voter suppression. These practices lead to more extremist and corrupt politicians because candidates in gerrymandered districts need not respond to those who think differently. They only have to appeal to their base to prevail.
Whatever our color, background, or zip code, we deserve to have the true promise of democracy made real for us all. The For the People Act is our best chance to save democracy, to protect the sacred and fundamental right of every citizen to vote and have representation in Congress.
A little about me: I Live in Whittier, California. I am the Founder of the Truth and Democracy Coalition. I am also an Author and Attorney who writes about religion and politics. I have published articles at LAProgressive.com, Buzzflash.com, and ModernLectionaries.Blogspot.com. I also produce the podcast Bible Study for Progressives. It's a show where moderates, liberals, and leftists of all faiths and ideologies gather to discuss scripture, spirituality, and politics.
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