The For the People Act

[homersapien 11,357]

The House Democrats’ Colossal Election Reform Bill Could Save American Democracy

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/01/nancy-pelosi-election-reform-bill-save-democracy.html

The Democrats’ first order of business as they took control of the 116^th Congress was introducing H.R. 1, the colossal “For the People Act.” This 571-page behemoth of a bill covering voting rights, campaign finance reform, ethics improvements, and more was a perfect reminder of just how much power the Constitution gives Congress to make elections better in this country and, sadly, of how partisan the question of election reform has become.

By beginning with election reform as “H.R. 1,” Democrats signaled their priorities as they took over control of the House of Representatives. The bill now has 221 co-sponsors, all Democrats, including almost every Democrat in the House. It’s disheartening that bipartisan movement on election reform is no longer possible and that few of the significant improvements in the bill stand a chance of becoming law until Democrats have control of the Senate and the presidency. Even then some of its provisions could be blocked by a conservative-leaning Supreme Court. But if and when Democrats ever do return to full power in Washington, H.R. 1 should remain the top priority. Though there is room for some improvements, the “For the People Act” would go an enormous way toward repairing our badly broken democracy.......

......There’s no question that H.R. 1, if it passes the House, will go nowhere in the upper chamber. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, an ardent opponent of laws regulating money in politics told the New York Times that he believes much of the law is “probably” unconstitutional. I expect few, if any, Republicans to co-sponsor this legislation.

McConnell is certainly within his powers to refuse to take up the bill, and there’s no reason to expect that President Donald Trump would have any interest in pushing for or signing a bill that requires the release of his tax returns. But McConnell is wrong in seeing “much” of the law as unconstitutional.......

 

Summary of the Act:

https://democracyreform-sarbanes.house.gov/sites/democracyreformtaskforce.house.gov/files/H.R. 1 Section-by-Section_FINAL.pdf

 

 

[Grumps 3,704]

Yay! The politicians are finally going to save us!

[homersapien 11,357]

1 hour ago, Grumps said:

Yay! The politicians are finally going to save us!

You don't seem to appreciate the origins of legislative change.

[Grumps 3,704]

1 hour ago, homersapien said:

You don't seem to appreciate the origins of legislative change.

I appreciate the process by which our laws were intended to be originated.

[homersapien 11,357]

39 minutes ago, Grumps said:

I appreciate the process by which our laws were intended to be originated.

Sure didn't sound as if you do.

Or is it you simply reject the substance of H.R. 1 in total?

[Grumps 3,704]

18 minutes ago, homersapien said:

Sure didn't sound as if you do.

Or is it you simply reject the substance of H.R. 1 in total?

As long as we get to see Trump's tax returns then I am in favor of it! Priorities!