By Mike Huckabee
June 7, 2021
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It looks as if the Democrats’ hopes have been dashed for shoving HR1, their Legalize Vote Fraud Act (they call it the “For The People” Act, but my name for it is far more accurate), through Congress with one tie-breaking Senate vote. It’s thanks to West Virginia Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin.
It was already iffy whether they’d be able to hide it inside a bill that could pass through reconciliation and not be subject to the 60 votes needed to end a filibuster. Both Manchin and Arizona Democrat Sen. Kyrsten Sinema are under heavy fire from the left for opposing their dream of doing away with the filibuster - an incredibly short-sighted power grab that would surely come back to bite them, just as ending the filibuster for judicial nominees did, but long-term planning is not the strong suit of liberals.
But Manchin made it clear that even if they could pass HR1 with 50 Senate votes, they won’t have 50 because he won’t vote for it. Manchin said, “The right to vote is fundamental to our American democracy and protecting that right should not be about party or politics. Least of all, protecting this right, which is a value I share, should never be done in a partisan manner.” He said the current debate on how to hold elections “is not about finding common ground, but seeking partisan advantage,” and “partisan policymaking won’t instill confidence in our democracy — it will destroy it.”
He added that any bill about voting rights should be the result of Democrats and Republicans working together, or “we risk further dividing and destroying the republic we swore to protect and defend as elected officials.” HR1 is a purely Democrat invention opposed by 100% of Republicans.
As for passing it by doing away with the filibuster, that’s also a no-go. Manchin said, “It has been said by much wiser people than me that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Well, what I’ve seen during my time in Washington is that every party in power will always want to exercise absolute power, absolutely. Our founders were wise to see the temptation of absolute power and built in specific checks and balances to force compromise that serves to preserve our fragile democracy.”
It's rare to see someone in Washington these days say something that wise or take a stand on principle in the face of an onslaught of angry personal attacks and threats from his own party. In fact, that’s so wise that I’m sure it will result in an even bigger onslaught of angry personal attacks and threats. He should take that as verification that he is absolutely doing the right thing.
And just to prove how 180 degrees out of phase with reality the pushers of HR1 are, here’s former Obama aide Ben Rhodes actually using the anniversary of D-Day to compare proponents of HR1 to the Normandy Invasion troops and Republicans who oppose it to the Nazis.
Permalink: https://www.mikehuckabee.com/2021/6/manchin-stands-against-hr1
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