It’s been a big week in Washington, with the Senate majority blocked from passing their own laws
It was a blow for the US Democratic party this week when Republican lawmakers moved to rely on the controversial filibuster rule to prevent proposed sweeping voter protections from becoming law.
US Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer labeled the move as “voter suppression”, with many of his colleagues now concerned that the rule is destroying America’s already fragile democracy.
In many respects, you can see where they are coming from – despite what side of the political coin you fall on.
The Senate’s filibuster rule works by requiring proposed legislation to receive a supermajority before it can progress from a discussion to a vote and, ultimately, become law.
In the Senate, this means that bills must receive support from 60 of the 100 elected Senators – an issue when the Democrats hold the narrowest of majorities with just 51 seats.
The filibuster rule has only been used one other time this session, when it was enacted to block the vote on a bipartisan commission into the deadly January 6 Capitol Riots. But it has been gaining traction over the past decade.
This time, it was used to block the “For the People Act” – a wide-range of measures designed to prevent Republican-led states from implementing new restrictive voting measures.
Particularly, Democrats say the Republican states are trying to make it more difficult for minorities and lower-income Americans from casting their vote and having their say come election time.
Republicans defend their actions as necessary to protect the safety of future US elections.
However, despite all of this, and despite whether or not you believe that the voter restrictions are good or bad, the filibuster rule goes against everything America’s democracy claims to be.
When a government or a party is elected into power by the people who live and breathe the values of the country – they should have the control to lead the country as they see fit.
Just as the Republicans were able to control the agenda in the Senate’s previous session, the Democrats should be able to control the agenda now.
At the end of the day, what is the point of voting in a senate majority if this majority can’t actually pass any laws?
William is an Executive News Producer at TICKER NEWS, responsible for the production and direction of news bulletins. William is also the presenter of the hourly Weather + Climate segment.
With qualifications in Journalism and Law (LLB), William previously worked at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) before moving to TICKER NEWS. He was also an intern at the Seven Network's 'Sunrise'.
A creative-minded individual, William has a passion for broadcast journalism and reporting on global politics and international affairs.
Ticker News is now available on Xumo TV and Xfinity, bringing new era of accessibility
Ticker is thrilled to announce a major milestone for Ticker News: we are now available for streaming across the United States on Comcast’s major platforms, Xumo TV and Xfinity.
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The achievement is particularly special with Ticker’s fifth anniversary on air on August 19.
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Being available on Xumo TV and Xfinity significantly enhances our already robust distribution network.
These platforms provide Ticker with the ability to reach millions of new viewers, further solidifying our presence in the competitive news landscape.
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Looking Ahead
As Ticker celebrates this exciting moment, the media company remains focused on its mission to provide accurate, timely, and engaging news to our audience.
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Vice President Kamala Harris met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and a cease-fire agreement.
Vice President Kamala Harris highlighted the nature of the discussion describing it as a “frank and constructive”meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.
Harris expressed her concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
She stressed the need to finalise a cease-fire deal.
Harris described the past nine months in Gaza as devastating.
She urged that the tragedies in Gaza should not be ignored. #trending
