One Coin, Two Sides
It would be nice if the parties put the country ahead of their ambitions
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell went on the conservative “Ruthless” podcast Tuesday to rail against what he called the Democratic Party’s efforts to change the political system for their own benefit.
The Kentucky Republican took aim at two election bills, the move to end the filibuster, the propsect of overturning an Iowa House election won by a Republican by just six votes and a proposal to add the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico as states.
The election bills would restore some parts of the Voting Rights Act — mostly targeting GOP voting strongholds — and make it easier to the public to cast their ballots by eliminating voter ID requirements and offering same-day registration.
The District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are reliably Democratic and admitting them to statehood would virtually guarantee that party four more senators. Getting rid of the filibuster would cut into the power of the minority party — right now the Republicans — to act as a legislative check on Democrats.
All of this adds up to a blatant attempt by the Democrats to have an advantage at the ballot box and on the floor of Congress for years to come, McConnell said.
And he’s right. That’s just what they are doing. But don’t polish that Republican halo too quickly, Mr. Minority Leader. The Republicans have been doing the same thing for years through targeted redistricting — most prominently in Texas — along with moves like voter ID that, though popular, have the effect of deterring likely Democratic voters from exercising their franchise.
And let’s not forget the Republican campaign to overturn President Joe Biden’s election in favor of former President Donald Trump.
The fact is both parties are more alike than they are different. Both parties have the same real platform: Get power and stay in power.
It would be nice if they were more concerned about what’s best for the country and the people. But we guess that’s too much to hope for.