The Daily

Lessons from the Demise of a Voting Rights Bill

Jun 23, 2021

Nicholas Fandos, a Congressional correspondent for The New York Times, dives deep into the collapse of the For the People Act. He explores the significance of the filibuster in blocking crucial voting rights legislation and the partisan divides it exposed. The discussion reveals the internal struggles among Democrats and highlights the urgent need for reform as GOP-led states tighten voting laws. Fandos shares insights into how these events shape the future of democracy and the ongoing fight for voter protections.

24:35

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Episode guests

Nicholas Fandos

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

Filibuster and Voting Rights: A Legislative Stalemate

10min

Obstacles to Voting Rights Legislation and Filibuster Reform

3min

Democrats at a Crossroads: The Filibuster Debate

9min

Texas Moves Toward Stricter Voting Laws

2min

Challenges in COVID-19 Vaccination Among Young Adults

2min

The For the People Act, a bill created by House Democrats after the 2018 midterm elections, could have been the most sweeping expansion of voting rights in a generation.

On Tuesday night, however, Senate Republicans filibustered the bill before it could even be debated.

What lessons can we take from its demise?

Guest: Nicholas Fandos, a congressional correspondent for The New York Times.

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Background reading:

By blocking the sweeping voting rights bill, Republicans dealt a blow to Democrats’ attempts to counter a wave of state-level ballot restrictions, while also supercharging a campaign to end the legislative filibuster.
In the wake of the bill’s demise, Democrats and civil rights groups have reaffirmed their resolve to fight for voting protections in Congress.

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