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Terry Mc Kenna's avatar

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.

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Colleen Kochivar-Baker's avatar

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.

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Paul Mccrary's avatar

Manchin and Sinema were Republicans?

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Kate Fall's avatar

Effectively, on voting rights they chose to vote with the Republicans, which is why neither of them will be re-elected.

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Colleen Kochivar-Baker's avatar

Same thing on changing the filibuster, but they wouldn't have been the only Dems that would have voted no.

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No Sympathy, No Charity's avatar

There still isnтАЩt a legislative vehicle that moves things with less than 60 votes.

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max skinner's avatar

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.

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Paul Mccrary's avatar

What does spending have to do with a new VRA?

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max skinner's avatar

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.

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Paul Mccrary's avatar

It's anti-Black racism. That's the reason why

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Kathy Balles's avatar

Correction: he can do little when he follows the rule of law and the Constitution. Just watch what the President can do when he doesnтАЩt give a shit about any of that.

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Paul Mccrary's avatar

LBJ got the original VRA through when it was less popular among the white population

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JF's avatar

I canтАЩt recall if the Senate was slowed down by the filibuster back in LBJтАЩs administration. It seems fairly recent that Congress has hobbled itself, to the point of doing little of consequence. Maybe thatтАЩs a safeguard, given the perverse тАЬqualityтАЭ of our congressional members.

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suzc's avatar

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.

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JF's avatar

Republicans have absorbed that message, that тАЬplay niceтАЭ is for wimps - in other words, Democrats.

At least LBJ was a hit man on our side (mostly).

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Lynn Van Haren's avatar

It was old Mitch McConnell that started using the filibuster as a weapon to block any & all progressive legislation

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max skinner's avatar

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.

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Kate Fall's avatar

But more popular with actual legislators. The GOP has changed a tad since then.

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Bkyn mom's avatar

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

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