McConnell says bill that would make Election Day a federal holiday is a ‘power grab’

[Belsnickel]

...by Democrats.

The rest of the title wouldn't fit.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mcconnell-says-bill-that-would-make-election-day-a-federal-holiday-is-a-power-grab-by-democrats/2019/01/30/57421dd6-24bd-11e9-ad53-824486280311_story.html?utm_term=.adc3e422ad35

Quote:Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday that a Democratic bill that would make Election Day a federal holiday is a “power grab,” sparking a fierce backlash online.

McConnell was speaking about H.R. 1, legislation that Democrats have made a centerpiece of their agenda since retaking the House earlier this month.

In remarks on the Senate floor, McConnell (R-Ky.) said Democrats “want taxpayers on the hook for generous new benefits for federal bureaucrats and government employees,” including making Election Day a “new paid holiday for government workers.”

“So this is the Democrats’ plan to ‘restore democracy,’” McConnell said, describing the legislation as “a political power grab that’s smelling more and more like what it is.”

The far-reaching legislation would also prohibit the purging of voter rolls, require presidential and vice-presidential candidates to release their tax returns, compel states to adopt independent redistricting commissions and create a matching system for small-dollar donations to congressional campaigns, among other changes.

In his Wednesday remarks, as well as in a Washington Post op-ed earlier this month, McConnell mocked the legislation as the “Democrat Politician Protection Act.”

“H.R. 1 would victimize every American taxpayer by pouring their money into expensive new subsidies that don’t even pass the laugh test,” McConnell said on the Senate floor.

His remarks prompted a wave of criticism by Democrats, some of whom argued that McConnell was acknowledging that Republicans want to make it more difficult for Americans to vote.

“Voting is a power grab. By citizens,” Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said in a tweet Wednesday afternoon.

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) shared a link to a story about McConnell’s comments and tweeted, “Why are Republicans always afraid of making it easier for Americans to vote?”

Ezra Levin, a former Capitol Hill staffer who co-founded the Indivisible network of liberal activist groups, accused McConnell of “rehearsing old lines.”

“In 1977, after Watergate and Nixon, Jimmy Carter was inaugurated and proposed expansive reforms to campaign finance and to make it easier to vote,” Levin said on Twitter. “The GOP called it a ‘power grab’ and killed it in the Senate.”

Walter Shaub, a former director of the Office of Government Ethics, noted that a significant number of federal workers are military veterans and suggested combining Election Day with Veterans Day, a proposal that has made the rounds in recent years.

“A ‘power grab’ to let people vote?” Shaub said in a tweet. “He also says it’s just a holiday for bureaucrats, almost ⅓ of whom are veterans. How about McConnell compromises by moving Veterans Day to the 1st Tuesday in November? What better way to honor veterans than by making it easier for them to vote?”

I don't know about the rest of you, but this is pretty blatant evidence, to me, that the GOP doesn't like the people having the power.

[CJD]

I dunno about all that stuff McConnell said, but making Election day a federal holiday is definitely a power grab by the Democrats in that if every person eligible to vote did vote on election day, the Republicans would be in trouble.

There's a reason Republicans are so heavy in on Gerrymandering and voter suppression.

[Belsnickel]

(01-31-2019, 09:52 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: I dunno about all that stuff McConnell said, but making Election day a federal holiday is definitely a power grab by the Democrats in that if every person eligible to vote did vote on election day, the Republicans would be in trouble.

There's a reason Republicans are so heavy in on Gerrymandering and voter suppression.

Gerrymandering is a bi-partisan issue. I'm with you on the voter suppression commentary, but gerrymandering is something both Republicans and Democrats enjoy engaging in.

[Au165]

It's funny election day makes more logical sense in being a paid holiday for federal workers than Christmas or Easter.

[GMDino]

(01-31-2019, 09:22 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: ...by Democrats.

The rest of the title wouldn't fit.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mcconnell-says-bill-that-would-make-election-day-a-federal-holiday-is-a-power-grab-by-democrats/2019/01/30/57421dd6-24bd-11e9-ad53-824486280311_story.html?utm_term=.adc3e422ad35


I don't know about the rest of you, but this is pretty blatant evidence, to me, that the GOP doesn't like the people having the power.

I'm still not sure why people are against this?  I've been following the "Why Tuesday" group for a few years now too.

But if someone didn't already know that MM was a partisan hack this won't convince them.

[*michaelsean*]

We don't have an Election Day anymore, we have an election quarter. I don't see it as a power grab, not sure what that means, but the rest of us manage to figure it out in the two to three month election day. Federal employees can as well.

As soon as Congress requires themselves to release their tax returns, I'll get on board with the President and vice-President.

[CJD]

(01-31-2019, 09:55 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: Gerrymandering is a bi-partisan issue. I'm with you on the voter suppression commentary, but gerrymandering is something both Republicans and Democrats enjoy engaging in.

Well the good news is that this bill appears to be an attempt at curbing gerrymandering as well, if I'm readying this correctly:

Quote:The far-reaching legislation would also prohibit the purging of voter rolls, require presidential and vice-presidential candidates to release their tax returns, compel states to adopt independent redistricting commissions and create a matching system for small-dollar donations to congressional campaigns, among other changes.

Maybe Democrats are equally guilty when it comes to Gerrymandering, but it looks like they are, at least artificially, trying to end it or limit it.Maybe they just realize Republicans are better at it than them? 

[Belsnickel]

(01-31-2019, 10:03 AM)michaelsean Wrote: We don't have an Election Day anymore, we have an election quarter. I don't see it as a power grab, not sure what that means, but the rest of us manage to figure it out in the two to three month election day. Federal employees can as well.

Not true everywhere. Virginia, with one of the largest populations of federal employees, does not have no-excuse absentee voting. So unless you are going to be out of town on Election Day, or working for 12+ continuous hours, or other things like that, then you can not vote early.

[Belsnickel]

(01-31-2019, 10:09 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: Well the good news is that this bill appears to be an attempt at curbing gerrymandering as well, if I'm readying this correctly:


Maybe Democrats are equally guilty when it comes to Gerrymandering, but it looks like they are, at least artificially, trying to end it or limit it.Maybe they just realize Republicans are better at it than them? 

Republicans are better at gerrymandering because they played the long game and filled state legislatures, the ones that draw the districts. In states where Democrats drew districts, they are also gerrymandered, but there are more Republican drawn districts out there.

[*bfine32*]

I can get on board with everything in this Bill, of course I'm a federal employee. A day off is a day off. Currently we are authorized to come to work late or leave early depending on your work schedule.

Of course I'm also in favor of purging voter rolls if done in a bipartisan/ non-targeting fashion.

[*michaelsean*]

(01-31-2019, 10:10 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: Not true everywhere. Virginia, with one of the largest populations of federal employees, does not have no-excuse absentee voting. So unless you are going to be out of town on Election Day, or working for 12+ continuous hours, or other things like that, then you can not vote early.

If we based everything on the Virginia we've come to know and love through your posts,  we wouldn't get anything done.  

[*michaelsean*]

(01-31-2019, 10:11 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: Republicans are better at gerrymandering because they played the long game and filled state legislatures, the ones that draw the districts. In states where Democrats drew districts, they are also gerrymandered, but there are more Republican drawn districts out there.

You mean won elections?

[Belsnickel]

(01-31-2019, 10:26 AM)michaelsean Wrote: You mean won elections?

There was a lot of strategy involved in that. I'm not trying to say that it was illegal or anything, but in all seriousness it was a big push within the GOP to recruit, groom, and win down-ballot races all across the country. They did it with the intent of being able to draw districts how they wanted them and to help build their bench. It was smart and it is why there is the current trend of Demcorats being terrible at winning elections and why there has been so much difficulty in finding the next group of Democrats to run for high offices. 2020 is going to be different because 2016 was a bit of a wake-up call for them. There was no bench to pull from.

[Belsnickel]

(01-31-2019, 10:23 AM)bfine32 Wrote: Of course I'm also in favor of purging voter rolls if done in a bipartisan/ non-targeting fashion.

I'm genuinely curious about why that is. I'm in favor of automatic, universal, voter registration, so this sort of viewpoint is baffling to me.

[*bfine32*]

(01-31-2019, 10:33 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: I'm genuinely curious about why that is. I'm in favor of automatic, universal, voter registration, so this sort of viewpoint is baffling to me.

I just don't see how someone could be against Gerrymandering and all against measures to prove you live where you say you do. 

[Belsnickel]

(01-31-2019, 11:11 AM)bfine32 Wrote: I just don't see how someone could be against Gerrymandering and all against measures to prove you live where you say you do. 

Well, I'm not against measures to prove you live where you say you do. That's done in the voter registration process. But Gerrymandering? I know you're trying to be snarky but my question was sincere, so I will respond sincerely. Gerrymandering is a process in which legislators draw districts in manner that causes them to choose their constituents. It can result in districts with widely different needs and concerns. Drawing the most compact districts possible can result in districts that will have their needs better addressed.

[BmorePat87]

(01-31-2019, 10:03 AM)michaelsean Wrote: We don't have an Election Day anymore, we have an election quarter. I don't see it as a power grab, not sure what that means, but the rest of us manage to figure it out in the two to three month election day.  Federal employees can as well.  

McConnell argued that they just want to do it so that federal workers can be paid to be off to work the polls for Democratic candidates. 

Quote:As soon as Congress requires themselves to release their tax returns, I'll get on board with the President and vice-President.

Across the board  :andy:

[*bfine32*]

(01-31-2019, 11:20 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: Well, I'm not against measures to prove you live where you say you do. That's done in the voter registration process. But Gerrymandering? I know you're trying to be snarky but my question was sincere, so I will respond sincerely. Gerrymandering is a process in which legislators draw districts in manner that causes them to choose their constituents. It can result in districts with widely different needs and concerns. Drawing the most compact districts possible can result in districts that will have their needs better addressed.

No snark intended (hell, I don't even see how it could be perceived). Without Voter caging you can have voters that never actually lived in a district or has since moved out of that district still voting in that district. So a district could just as easily be "reshaped" by bogus people living in a district as it could with non-parallel lines. 

I don't see how anyone could be opposed to someone having to show they live in a district as the time that cast a vote for that district. I'm also in favor of voter ID laws. So perhaps that's the disconnect.  

[Dill]

(01-31-2019, 04:31 PM)bfine32 Wrote: No snark intended (hell, I don't even see how it could be perceived). Without Voter caging you can have voters that never actually lived in a district or has since moved out of that district still voting in that district. So a district could just as easily be "reshaped" by bogus people living in a district as it could with non-parallel lines. 

I don't see how anyone could be opposed to someone having to show they live in a district as the time that cast a vote for that district. I'm also in favor of voter ID laws. So perhaps that's the disconnect.  

So very unlikely. You would be talking about a miniscule number of votes.

One bad thing about Gerrymandering is that when lines are redrawn to concentrate voters of one party together, a result is that they no longer have to play to the center, but to the farther extreme of the party.  That has also happened over the last 30 years, resulting in a concentration of "extremists" in Congress, extreme because they are more fearful of being primaried in their districts than being defeated by an opponent from the other party.  Being "Cantored" they call that now.  
https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2016/05/08/sarah-palin-says-paul-ryan-will-soon-cantored/D7lzhecJnCfGEvrYWQ8BQJ/story.html

[Benton]

(01-31-2019, 04:31 PM)bfine32 Wrote: No snark intended (hell, I don't even see how it could be perceived). Without Voter caging you can have voters that never actually lived in a district or has since moved out of that district still voting in that district. So a district could just as easily be "reshaped" by bogus people living in a district as it could with non-parallel lines. 

I don't see how anyone could be opposed to someone having to show they live in a district as the time that cast a vote for that district. I'm also in favor of voter ID laws. So perhaps that's the disconnect.  

But isn't that generally voter fraud? Which isn't the same as gerrymandering.