Former Senate advisor condemns Manchin and GOP as “enemies of democracy”

Former Senate Assistant Brent Budowsky, the was an adviser to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) and former MP Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), criticized Senator Joe Manchin (DW. Va.) and the Republican Party in a comment for The Hill, You Will referred to as “enemies of democracy” preventing the Senate from passing important voting laws.

“W.ith American democracy, heavily attacked by enemies of democracy who aggressively assault the franchise, fair electoral process, and fair vote counting in state after state, its most powerful ally and most valuable player on its Republican team is Sen. Joe Manchin, ”writes Budowsky.

“Manchin by opposing key laws endorsed by every other Democratic Senator and vowing to support any Republican filibuster against any proposal backed by President Biden, effectively encourages and supports any Republican attack on suffrage and democracy, any Republican attempt to elect Republicans by corrupting voting and electoral practices in countless states, and any Republican attempt to thwart President Biden’s entire legislative program, ” he continues.

Budowsky insists that Manchin will be better served in his self-imposed crusade to reduce Senate partisanship if he does so.not to castrate the Senate’s ability to prevent bipartisan Republican election abuse in one state after another, and to support any bipartisan Republican filibuster who seeks to destroy the Biden presidency.

Budowsky’s comment comes after that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) called on the Senate to pass the For the People Act, a bill that would be the greatest expansion of voter protection yet, and dismissed the objections of Manchin, who vowed Reasons not to vote for the measure and highlighted issues with the Democrats’ ability to pass important laws by a gossamer majority.

The For the People Act “must become law to respect the sanctity of voting that is the foundation of our democracy,” wrote Pelosi in a letter to House Democrats.

In her letter, Pelosi stated that the legislation would “reduce the role of big, dark special interest money in politics,” help “stop voter suppression and protect the voice of tens of millions of Americans” and “end”political gerrymandering through the establishment of redistribution commissions. “

Manchin made it clear earlier this week that they would not vote for the law, calling it a “partisan” law.

“However, today’s debate about how best to protect our voting rights is not about finding common ground, but about partisan advantages, ”he wrote in a comment for the Charleston Gazette-Mail. “Whether it’s state laws unnecessarily restricting the right to vote or politicians ignoring the need to secure our elections, partisan politics will not instill confidence in our democracy – it will destroy it.”

Alan is a writer, editor, and news junkie from New York.