The Senate Will Reject Democrats’ Partisan Power Grab
‘[W]hichever label Democrats slap on their bill, the substance remains the same. It’s always been a plan to rewrite the ground rules of American politics. Today, the Senate’s going to fulfill our founding purpose, stop this partisan power grab, and reject S. 1.’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding S.1:
“Later today, the Senate will vote on whether to advance Democrats’ transparently partisan plan to tilt every election in America permanently in their favor. By now, the rotten inner workings of this power grab have been thoroughly exposed to the light.
“We know that it would shatter a decades-old understanding that campaign law should have a bipartisan referee, and turn the Federal Election Commission into a partisan-majority cudgel for Democrats to wield against their political opponents.
“We know that it would let Washington bureaucrats direct federal dollars into politicians’ campaign accounts – government money for yard signs and attack ads.
“We know that it would let Democrats take a red pen to election laws in each of the 50 states, neutering popular precautions like voter I.D. while legalizing shady practices like ballot harvesting across the board.
“It’s a recipe for undermining confidence in our elections. For remaking our entire system of government to suit the preferences of one far end of the political spectrum.
“And if they could, many Senate Democrats would pass it with the slimmest possible majority, even after its companion faced bipartisan opposition in the House.
“What a craven political calculation. What a way to show your disdain for the American people’s choices.
“Of course, it isn’t even limited to election law. Among of the most dangerous parts of S. 1 is the way it would equip partisan regulators to intimidate and discourage private citizens from engaging in political speech.
“Unfortunately, this one is a familiar concept for too many Americans. It’s not hard to imagine federal bureaucrats indulging ideological grudges and chilling free speech… because it’s happened before.
“The nation was reminded just a few weeks ago how unable the federal government can be to protect private citizens’ personal information.
“Unable… or just unwilling.
“But conservatives, in particular, didn’t need a reminder of what became institutionalized discrimination under the last Democratic administration.
“So when private contributors, non-profit advocacy groups, and religious organizations see that S. 1’s disclosure requirements would intentionally unlearn the lessons of the IRS’ abuses under Lois Lerner, they have plenty of reasons to fear.
“Naming and shaming is not a hypothetical concept. It’s been a concrete reality for thousands of private citizens. And today, Democrats are asking for a green light to supercharge the intimidation machine that makes it possible.
“We’ve heard this entire package described many different ways over the years.
“These same rotten proposals have sometimes been called a massive overhaul for a broken democracy… Sometimes a modest package of tweaks for a democracy that’s working perfectly… And sometimes a response to state actions which this bill predates by years.
“But whichever label Democrats slap on their bill, the substance remains the same. It’s always been a plan to rewrite the ground rules of American politics.
“And by the way, no matter what far-left activists are telling our colleagues, this most sensitive subject would not be the best place to trash the Senate’s rules to ram something through.
“In fact, these issues would be the worst possible place to push through a power grab at any cost.
“The Senate is no obstacle to voting laws done the right way. I’ve helped write legislation regarding our democracy that has soared through this chamber on huge bipartisan margins.
“The Senate is only an obstacle when the policy is flawed and the process is rotten.
“And that’s exactly why this body exists.
“Today, the Senate’s going to fulfill our founding purpose, stop this partisan power grab, and reject S. 1.”
Related Issues: Senate Democrats
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