Democracy at stake: a lesson from Texas for national Democrats

Marc Elias, the Democratic voting rights lawyer, doesn't mince words.  

Republicans are willing to destroy democratic institutions to gain and hold power. The result is an asymmetrical war on democracy where congressional Republicans, and their state counterparts, are willing to do or say virtually anything to frustrate the will of the majority and make a mockery of the idea of the consent of the governed. No principle is sacred, no line is uncrossable, and no lie is too big if it helps Republican politicians win elections. ...

If you want to cast blame for the Senate’s failure to protect voting rights, start with the 50 Senate Republicans who refuse to support it. They are on the wrong side of history and have cemented their legacy of cowardice. Not only are they blocking federal safeguards against voter suppression, but they’re also supporting and applauding state legislative efforts to chip away at the right to vote.

It's not just Donald Trump -- it's the Republican Party. When they can't convince a majority, they will disenfranchise enough people to keep power. In states where they hold power, they continue to make it harder to vote. Elias in the courts and Democratic minorities in state legislature are trying every tactic they can find to preserve broad voting rights.

Last month, Democratic Texas state legislators walked out of a late night final session of the body's term to prevent a vote on a current GOPer voting suppression bill. No legislators, no bill. GOPers called the maneuver a stunt -- and it was inherently a delaying tactic, not a victory. Texas' Republican governor promises to call the legislature back into special session to pass their bill. 

But Judd Legum at Popular Information has been following the aftermath and "the stunt" is winning some partial victories. A restriction on Sunday voting hours designed to reduce access for Black church-goers may be removed. A section allowing judges to overturn election results without measurable proof of fraud also looks gone. Democrats can't completely stop the Texas bill, but Legum urges national Democrats to pay attention: Something extraordinary is happening in Texas.

National Democrats need to show a similar urgency to step beyond business-as-usual to pass federal voting protections. Sure, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin likes being cock of the walk, basking in the spotlight while withholding essential support. But this is about saving the legitimacy of our form of government. Democrats may not yet have the votes, but they do control the Senate. Why are their leaders letting them wander off on vacation, Legum asks?

Currently, the Senate is scheduled to be on recess for much of the summer — from June 28 to July 9 and from August 9 to September 10. 

Even though there isn't a clear path to success at present, Texas Democrats illustrated the power of doing everything possible to protect voting rights. Keeping the Senate in session until it takes action on voting rights would underscore the importance of the issue, require Republicans to take tough votes, and create pressure to reach a compromise so everyone could go home. One thing is for sure: the Senate can't protect voting rights while it is on recess.

Ezra Levin of the pro-democracy advocacy group Indivisible captures the urgency we need in this time:

If this were easy, it would have been done already. If this were pre-ordained, we wouldn’t have to make it happen. If this were a lost cause, I wouldn’t be writing you this email. It’s not easy, it’s not pre-ordained, it’s not lost. ...

Democratic as well as Republican senators need to hear from constituents. It's their job to find a way!