President Barack Obama is warning Americans that our democracy is in big trouble. He said that Republican leaders have been working to steal it from us by such means as state legislation changes, primary challenges, and gerrymandering.
Our former President explained that we are responsible for the upkeep of our democracy. To those who stood firm against the big lie, Obama said, according to The USA Today reported.
‘[Republicans who have] rejected such anti-democratic efforts have found themselves ostracized, threatened and subjected to primary challenges.’
Our 44th president warned us against “voter nullification:”
‘[W]e’ve seen state legislatures try to assert power over core election processes including the ability to certify election results. These partisan attempts at voter nullification are unlike anything we’ve seen in modern times, and they represent a profound threat to the basic democratic principle that all votes should be counted fairly and objectively.’
Then, President Obama got to the meat of the matter, the filibuster. He said:
- ‘The filibuster has no basis in the Constitution.
- The parliamentary tactic was used sparingly – most notably by Southern senators to block civil rights legislation and prop up Jim Crow.
- [It] became a routine way for the Senate minority to block important progress on issues supported by the majority of voters.
- But we can’t allow it to be used to block efforts to protect our democracy.
- I fully support President Joe Biden’s call to modify Senate rules as necessary to make sure pending voting rights legislation gets called for a vote.
- And every American who cares about the survival of our most cherished institutions should support the president’s call as well.’
Next, our former president of these United States gave us the good news. He described a better legislative world:
‘Now, there are bills in front of the Senate that would protect the right to vote, end partisan gerrymandering, and restore crucial parts of the Voting Rights Act.  Bill sponsors have diligently reached out to their Republican colleagues to obtain their support. Sadly, almost every Senate Republican who expressed concern about threats to our democracy in the immediate aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection has since been cowed into silence or reversed their positions.’
He urged everyone of all races must get to work to save democracy and fill those gaps that have occurred.
Watch this space as events continue to unfold very quickly.
Three White Lions podcast, Gloria Christie reads a chapter from her book of the same title. She also writes for the liberal online newspaper The Bipartisan Report. Gloria Christie Report her newsletter for people on the go. Written in her own unique style with a twist of humor in a briefer version of Bipartisan Report. Christie’s Mueller Report Adventures In Bite-Sizes a real-life compelling spy mystery (in process). Find her here on Facebook.
