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Thursday, March 28, 2024 - 06:36 AM

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

First Published in 1994

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

Electoral College 2022

Yet another troubling election bill has surfaced, but this time it is expected to be introduced by a Republican. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) recently convened a bipartisan group of lawmakers to discuss election matters. The participants were Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Steve Daines (R-MT), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mitt Romney (R-UT), and Roger Wicker (R-MS). Even though the group was bipartisan there is nothing conservative about the bill. We are disappointed in any Senators that would purport to put conservative fingerprints on a bad bill.

While the group did not entertain the election bills that have already been introduced such as the For the People Act (H.R. 1/S.1), the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 4), and the Freedom to Vote Act (S. 2747), they discussed introducing a whole new bill that would change the process of certifying electoral college votes. This narrative stems from the events that transpired at the Capitol on January 6th of last year. Several Republican lawmakers rejected the electoral votes from their states based on questionable voter count activity. Democrats used that fact to blame Republicans for acts of a violent few at the Capitol, even though Democrats have a long history of voicing similar objections.

Many of the processes of counting electoral votes are outlined in the 1887 Electoral Count Act. Specifically, Sen. Collins and her gang want to limit the Vice President’s abilities to “throw out” votes and increase the number of lawmakers that have to sign onto an objection. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) gave a thumbs up to the idea asserting that it was “worth discussing.”

This legislation accomplishes only one goal: perpetuating misinformation about the cause January 6th riots. What it does not do is provide any solutions that actually improve the election system. Violence is never acceptable, but neither are election irregularities. The American people deserve for their elected leaders to secure their elections and to instill faith in the election process through transparency and accountability. Eliminating a legitimate avenue to challenge problematic election results is not a solution, it is an abject failure of leadership. 

Also, if this legislation sees the light of day, it will not appease the other Democrats who are championing a more comprehensive election reform bill. After dumping their liberal wish list into two bills and agreeing to entertain S. 2747, known as the “Manchin Compromise,” should the Senate pass it to them, they will not have an appetite for anything less. For example, Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock’s stated to Axios that to do anything other than pass Democrats’ bills to federalize the election would be a “distraction” and a “cynical political maneuver by people who are trying to rig the elections in this country.” Even the White House has said that the Collins bill is not a substitute. It is terribly disappointing that conservatives are participating in the large-scale distraction going on in Washington: working to distract from the failures of the Biden Administration by falsely blaming President Trump and his supporters for the violent actions of a few on January 6, 2021.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has vowed to bring an election reform bill to the floor the week of January 17th. Meanwhile, the President and Vice President are traveling to Georgia next week to campaign for these bills and to pressure lawmakers to act. Both the President and Senate Leader want to get rid of the filibuster to push this agenda through. Read more about this in last week’s Capitol Hill Report. Eagle Forum will score against any of these problematic so-called “election reform” bills that come to a vote and will send you an alert to contact your Senators.

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