Wrong question. To me the electorate somehow imagines that the president can do all when he can do little. Worse still we have a legislative branch that has no incentivizes to help the president. That may sound great in a civics class but it kills action. My worry is that folks ask why Biden did not... do this that and the other. It suggests no grasp of what it takes to do anything.
I think the Dems should speak about what the tried to pass and couldn't because of GOP intransigence. Make the point it wasn't Biden who failed, it was the MAGA GOP who voted intentionally to kill any Biden success.
At the time they were both Democrats who didn't like the spending in some of the economic bills. Sinema has now announced she has no party but mostly votes with Democrats.
Nothing. And that's why the voting rights legislation got nowhere while the economic related bills got passed.
Back when LBJ was president he could leverage other bills to get votes on his favored piece of legislation like the original VRA. In recent years though that sort of pork barreling is not engaged in. One party in particular decided it would no longer deal in that way. Dealing within the bill seems to be acceptable now.
Correction: he can do little when he follows the rule of law and the Constitution. Just watch what the President can do when he doesn’t give a shit about any of that.
I can’t recall if the Senate was slowed down by the filibuster back in LBJ’s administration. It seems fairly recent that Congress has hobbled itself, to the point of doing little of consequence. Maybe that’s a safeguard, given the perverse “quality” of our congressional members.
LBJ knew where all the bodies were buried in Congress and he could strong-arm them and he did! Very effectively. Today's weak as water politicians make me crazy. 'Play nice" is not for politics.
He had the votes in the Senate to get it done. My poly sci professor said LBJ was a master at pork barrel projects and making deals...a talent honed while he was in the US Senate.
1. How much was that due to the marches, assissations etc. and other pressure do you think? and 2. Given how it's been gutted i wonder if those who weren't for it, where just biding there time....vote for it then to appease and then start the works to undermine when the pressure is off
Because of the filibuster the voting rights legislation could not advance in the Senate. A president can bully pulpit all he wants, he can't make either house of Congress pass something it doesn't want to pass. Plus, voting rights bills don't have the promise of money for red states dangling in them, unlike the various economic bills that did pass with some Republican votes.
Exactly. It may come as a surprise but presidents are not kings and congress has a lot of power. The congress is so evenly matched, centrists of both parties and far right and left members, that it's surprising how much does get through. Biden has worked hard to pass legislation and it's easy to forget his successes despite the opposition.
Why didn't Biden strengthen voting rights?
I believe it was more of the Manchin problem. Couldn’t get it through the Senate.
Wrong question. To me the electorate somehow imagines that the president can do all when he can do little. Worse still we have a legislative branch that has no incentivizes to help the president. That may sound great in a civics class but it kills action. My worry is that folks ask why Biden did not... do this that and the other. It suggests no grasp of what it takes to do anything.
I think the Dems should speak about what the tried to pass and couldn't because of GOP intransigence. Make the point it wasn't Biden who failed, it was the MAGA GOP who voted intentionally to kill any Biden success.
Manchin and Sinema were Republicans?
Effectively, on voting rights they chose to vote with the Republicans, which is why neither of them will be re-elected.
Same thing on changing the filibuster, but they wouldn't have been the only Dems that would have voted no.
There still isn’t a legislative vehicle that moves things with less than 60 votes.
At the time they were both Democrats who didn't like the spending in some of the economic bills. Sinema has now announced she has no party but mostly votes with Democrats.
What does spending have to do with a new VRA?
Nothing. And that's why the voting rights legislation got nowhere while the economic related bills got passed.
Back when LBJ was president he could leverage other bills to get votes on his favored piece of legislation like the original VRA. In recent years though that sort of pork barreling is not engaged in. One party in particular decided it would no longer deal in that way. Dealing within the bill seems to be acceptable now.
It's anti-Black racism. That's the reason why
Correction: he can do little when he follows the rule of law and the Constitution. Just watch what the President can do when he doesn’t give a shit about any of that.
LBJ got the original VRA through when it was less popular among the white population
I can’t recall if the Senate was slowed down by the filibuster back in LBJ’s administration. It seems fairly recent that Congress has hobbled itself, to the point of doing little of consequence. Maybe that’s a safeguard, given the perverse “quality” of our congressional members.
LBJ knew where all the bodies were buried in Congress and he could strong-arm them and he did! Very effectively. Today's weak as water politicians make me crazy. 'Play nice" is not for politics.
Republicans have absorbed that message, that “play nice” is for wimps - in other words, Democrats.
At least LBJ was a hit man on our side (mostly).
It was old Mitch McConnell that started using the filibuster as a weapon to block any & all progressive legislation
He had the votes in the Senate to get it done. My poly sci professor said LBJ was a master at pork barrel projects and making deals...a talent honed while he was in the US Senate.
But more popular with actual legislators. The GOP has changed a tad since then.
1. How much was that due to the marches, assissations etc. and other pressure do you think? and 2. Given how it's been gutted i wonder if those who weren't for it, where just biding there time....vote for it then to appease and then start the works to undermine when the pressure is off
Probably because he is not a member of the legislature is the actual correct answer.
IOW, not part of his job. Just like running the economy is not actually part of his job.
Or how writing immigration law is not part of his job.
Because of the filibuster the voting rights legislation could not advance in the Senate. A president can bully pulpit all he wants, he can't make either house of Congress pass something it doesn't want to pass. Plus, voting rights bills don't have the promise of money for red states dangling in them, unlike the various economic bills that did pass with some Republican votes.
Of course that begs the question of why Senator Schumer hasn't whipped a majority on voting rights.
I don’t think Schumer is effective at whipping any Republican Senators to help pass any legislation
‘I don’t think Schumer is effective’ - - - period.
So we don't really live in a Republic
Because Biden is President not Congress
Good question! Ans: The president does not make law.
Better question: Why didn't Senate and House Democrats pass the voting rights bills before them. Weak as water weenies? Why didn't they even try?
Exactly. It may come as a surprise but presidents are not kings and congress has a lot of power. The congress is so evenly matched, centrists of both parties and far right and left members, that it's surprising how much does get through. Biden has worked hard to pass legislation and it's easy to forget his successes despite the opposition.