Page 5 - Democracy Issue News Today

Changing the filibuster rules, rules joe manchin and kyrsten sinema are still defending. joining us now is the veteran leader of the naacp legal defense fund, which shell soon be departing after nearly a decade heading that legal powerhouse. its so good to see you. >> good to see you, too. >> was the presidents speech a real call to action, or was he messaging exercises to satisfy the democratic base especially black voters who supported and won him the nomination and presidency? >> i think its ...

We want to get this legislation passed. when we think about the work weve done for voters, i understand how challenging it is to get your party in line or to get votes that are not there, but thats not work. thats what we do every single day. the same kind of standard of going out and making sure that we get it done, this is game time. we also expect that. that we expect that the president, we expect that congress, we expect that the democratic party, but we also expect republicans. there were 1...

In washington have seemingly not been able to break through with enough voters outside of washington on the issue and urgency of these democratic repairs, small d. its easy to see why. 800,000 deaths, school closures, economic disruptions, rising inflation, prices at the pump, crime is up. given these kitchen table issues, if you will, the state of our democracy might seem like a luxury item giving the other issues facing them and their families. not to dismiss the democracy issue. the fact of t...

Republican party they could have a free for all and been doing it since and weve been sounding the alarm long before trump came to power and we need people to understand this is a democracy issue. this is not an issue for black people so were in a crisis because what they were trying out just on black and brown people they have decided to run the tables on the whole nation. so everyone needs to wake up and say what are you going to do next? what are you going to do? at this point, its all hands ...

We want to get it done this week. every day we let go by is every day were seeing our community be attacked and were seeing the vote marginalized. we have to recognize the critical nature. this isnt a partisan issue. this is a democracy issue. this is around how people when you vote for a candidate or you vote for a party, however you vote, you cant be attacked, right, based on who you voted or how you voted for. that completely undergirds democracy, thats the definition of political corruption....

History to show you protected this democracy by protecting the right to vote. this is not just an african-american issue, it is a democracy issue, it is a freedom issue, it is a justice issue. we want to see where these republicans and democrats all stand. we know that senator sinema and manchin have not moved in the direction we had hoped they would move, so we wouldnt be having this conversation. but were here. resolute and all the actors i know that are out here, were going to keep fighting. ...

And on the democratic side, for most people who are democrats, voting rights is very important, but there are 19 other issues that are equally or more important. it may be climate. it may be immigration. it may be economic stimulus. it may be child care tax credits. it may be minimum wage. it may be student loans. we could go on and on with the list. but democracy is just one of that set of issues, and what needs to change on the -- among democrats is that democrats need to understand that none ...

Power to disempower voters and really the american people, because its not -- this is not a black issue, this is a democracy issue. our democracy is under threat. we know about january 6th. theres a lot going on in this country, and voting rights is fundamental. the other thing i want to also lift up, jonathan, is we know whats going on on capitol hill. thats why were also stepping up for economic justice. things like paid family leave need to be a part of the build back better plan, as well. >>...

Based on the same lies, all the democrats phony hysteria. whats your response to that? >> that he is both aware of and afraid of the reality that voter suppression is emanating from the states and is being suborned by his leadership and by those in his caucus. this is not a democratic or republican issue. this is an american issue. this is a democracy issue. and the lengths to which republicans will go to pretend that the insurrection didnt happen and that the continued insurrection that is taki...

Were talking about stacey abrams, the founder of fair fight action. she joins me now. she was at the voting roundtable with senator klobuchar yesterday. thank you for joining us, ms. abrams. republicans were given the chance to have witnesses testify. they didnt. not a single senate republican showed up, mitch mcconnell said, and i quote, it was a silly stunt based on the same lies, the democrats phony hysteria. whats your response to that? >> that he is both aware of and afraid of the reality, ...