HR1 Would Make America A Democracy March 22, 2021March 21, 2021 As noted this past Thursday and Friday, not everyone wants that. Some Republicans would even make it illegal to offer your grandmother water or a snack as she waits in line for hours to vote — lines, as Senator Warnock notes, Republicans have purposely made longer. Read abut HR1 and see what you think: THE “FOR THE PEOPLE ACT” WOULD MAKE THE U.S. A DEMOCRACY. The bill is the most crucial legislation considered by Congress in decades and would change the core structure of U.S. politics. Fred: “I agree with you on most things but cannot agree with you on voting. The Republican bills aren’t trying to get rid of all early voting, just cutting back on the days. The Republican bills are not trying to do away with all mail voting, just trying to restrict it to people that can’t make it to the polls. I think voters should have some responsibility. Why should your vote count if you drop it off at the wrong precinct? It’s your job to find out where to vote. It’s not racist to tighten ID requirements.” –> Thanks, Fred. I don’t think the 250 new bills pending in Republican-controlled state legislatures are motivated by a desire to keep elections honest. Republicans have tried for decades to find cases of individual voter fraud, but they are, in fact, insignificantly rare. (See Thursday’s links.) If you wanted to vote illegally, how would you do it? Would it be worth the risk? Why do you think others would take the risk if you would not? It’s so hard to get people to vote AT ALL! (And if a relative handful of people do risk prison or deportation to vote illegally, why do you assume they are disproportionately Democrats and not, say, Proud Boys or Klansmen?) Republicans themselves have explained — in court, no less — that they’re not racist. They want to keep blacks from voting not because they’re black, but because they vote blue. There may be a bit of rationalizing going on there, but let’s assume it’s true. I still think it’s wrong intentionally to make it hard for people to vote, no matter what party they favor. I think we should make voting as easy as possible for everyone, not just the best off. Have you ever had to wait in line 2 hours or 5 hours or 12 hours to vote? BONUS: TRICKY STAIRS Andrew Reinbach: “Biden was bouncing up the stairs when he tripped. Film of the trip displays no feebleness, and when he gets his feet right, he bounds up the stairs. Here’s Pence stumbling.” → Not to mention Jerry Ford. Or that FDR wouldn’t have been able to climb the stairs at all, yet accomplished a great deal for the common man, and to defeat fascism. Have a great week!