The Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice supports expansion of voting rights and opposes the suppressive, regressive legislation, being pushed in many state legislatures, that places special burdens on racial minorities, poor people and young and old voters. The alliance actively supported, and continues to support, House Bill 75, the Delaware constitutional amendment removing requirements for absentee voting. The alliance also supports House Bill 25, same-day voter registration, which has not been put on the legislative agenda, and backed Senate Bill 5, automatic voter registration, which passed in both chambers.
According to the Brennan Center for Justice, between Jan. 1 and May 14, 2021, 22 new laws that restrict access to the vote were enacted in at least 14 states. At least 61 bills with restrictive provisions are in front of 18 state legislatures with 31 of those passed at least one chamber, while another 30 bills have had some sort of committee action (a hearing, amendment or committee vote). Overall, at least 389 restrictive bills were introduced in 48 states in the 2021 legislative sessions.
The federal For the People Act, House Resolution 1 and Senate Bill 1, would end the war being waged against voting rights in state legislatures and would protect and strengthen our freedom to vote, increase transparency of campaigns, strengthen disclosure laws and implement anti-corruption, pro-ethics measures to clean up the government. But Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., used the filibuster to prevent the bill’s passage and to prevent debate about the bill. The filibuster would require a vote of 60 for passage, instead of a simple majority. Think about that: The filibuster was used to prevent even a debate, which would have included compromise legislation advanced by Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.
In a recent incredibly condescending opinion piece, Mike Solon, a former assistant to McConnell, and Bill Greene, an ex-outreach director for former House Speaker John Boehner, defend the use of the filibuster. They claim that it prevents partisanship and allows “political innocents” and “political nobodies” to enjoy their lives, leaving the politicians to make important decisions: “Eliminating the Senate filibuster would end the freedom of America’s political innocents. The lives that political nobodies spend playing, praying, fishing, tailgating, reading, hunting, gardening, studying and caring for their children would be spent rallying, canvassing, picketing, lobbying, protesting, texting, posting, parading and, above all, shouting.”
The filibuster should end because no party, neither Republican nor Democrat, should be the party that has the power to thwart legislation introduced by the majority party because it thinks it knows better and because it tells us that we “political nobodies” should not have the right — or even duty — to participate in our own democracy.
Don’t fall for this kind of parens patriae condescension. Don’t let anyone tell you that legislation that expands voting rights and promotes full participation in our democracy is part of a partisan agenda. Rather, use of the filibuster to prevent this legislation and state efforts to roll back voting rights are existential threats to our democracy. The Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice urges you to contact your senators — in whatever state you live in — and demand that they act to end the filibuster and to make sure the For the People Act passes. The future of our democracy depends on it. Don’t confuse your right to fish, hunt, garden or enjoy your leisure activities with your entirely separate right to participate in our democracy. Don’t become a political nobody.
Clara S. Licata
Co-chair, Legislative/Advocacy Committee
Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice
