RSN: FOCUS: Democrats Are in Denial About What They're Up Against

 

 

23 November 21

Live on the homepage now!
Reader Supported News

CAN ANYONE DONATE A THOUSAND? — This is the missing element so far this month. We never get many four digit donations, but we always get a few. This month so far, none. It’s an essential but missing part of the equation. Can you be the first?
Marc Ash • Founder, Reader Supported News

Sure, I'll make a donation!

 

FOCUS: Democrats Are in Denial About What They're Up Against
Ryan Cooper, The Week
Cooper writes: "Reporter Reid Epstein had published a bombshell New York Times article about how Wisconsin Republicans are preparing to set up permanent one-party rule and very possibly use that power to steal the 2024 election in the state."

On Friday morning, Democrats passed their Build Back Better agenda through the House. Only hours before their triumphant celebrations, however, reporter Reid Epstein had published a bombshell New York Times article about how Wisconsin Republicans are preparing to set up permanent one-party rule and very possibly use that power to steal the 2024 election in the state.

Thus far, Democratic leadership has done nothing substantial to counter this threat, or even acknowledge it in any serious way. But if they can't get over their denial and start taking some action, the freedom of the 2024 election is legitimately in question.

Epstein reports the Wisconsin GOP has Big Lie-pilled itself into a frenzy, essentially claiming excuse to set up one-party rule. Several years ago, the party established a new agency, the Wisconsin Elections Commission, to oversee voting in the state. Then, last year, the commission carried out a number of emergency changes to procedures in keeping with the pandemic. Very few cared at the time, because those measures were reasonable and necessary.

But after former President Donald Trump lost the state, Republicans started hunting for pretexts to discredit the result and make sure it could never happen again. Initially, they ordered a report hoping to find voting irregularities. When that didn't work, they claimed the election commission's pandemic rules were illegal. The "Trump-aligned sheriff of Racine County, the state's fifth most populous county, recommended felony charges against five of the six members of the election commission for guidance they had given to municipal clerks early in the pandemic," writes Epstein.

The developing strategy seems to go something like this: First, the Wisconsin legislature districts are gerrymandered so it's nearly impossible for Democrats to win. Next, Republicans seize control of the state electoral process, as Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) has already suggested doing, even over Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' veto. Then, either they rig the voting process such that Democrats can't win, or just award the state's electoral votes to the Republican candidate directly.

The basic idea here — handing out electoral votes through the legislature rather than after a vote — arguably wouldn't even be "illegal," since the Electoral College clauses in the Constitution stipulate that electors are chosen "in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct." Doing it over Evers' veto, though, would definitely violate state law and Supreme Court precedent. More to the point, the tactic would be a grotesque violation of the very political principles of a democratic republic, as outlined in the Declaration of Independence and the preamble to the Constitution.

Fundamentally, the idea of "legality" can't stand up to someone who is sufficiently dishonest and shameless. You just claim up is down, black is white, and shout down anyone who says otherwise. Every political system relies on norms and shared understanding to some degree. So if Republicans can pull this off in Wisconsin, then it is absolutely guaranteed they will try it everywhere else they can. From there, it only takes a few swing states stolen for the presidency to be in the bag — at least in terms of "the rules."

Now, legal strategies are not the end of politics, particularly when it comes to de facto revolution and the abolition of democracy. The reaction of the masses and opposition parties also matters. Wisconsin Republicans are plainly counting on Democrats to lie down quietly while they're kicked in the teeth. It's not hard to see why, either; that's what I would expect to happen as well, because it's what Democrats have done for the last 21 years, ever since the Supreme Court made George W. Bush president.

As the writer Michael Sweeney suggests, the ridiculously high approval ratings for Republican governors in blue states like Maryland, Massachusetts, and Vermont — where these men often register higher approval among local Democrats than they do among Republicans — suggests a deep desire among rank-and-file liberals for an opposition party that isn't composed of violent lunatics. Democratic leadership, almost all of whom came of age in a time of bipartisan comity and collaboration that couldn't be more dead, has alternately pandered to and cultivated this delusional belief. During the presidential campaign, President Biden repeatedly promised that he was a guy who could reach across the aisle and get things done. Just this week, his administration took a victory lap over his bipartisan "achievement," and in doing so implicitly instructed liberals that Republicans are a normal party:

But they aren't. Biden did get an infrastructure bill through with some Republican votes — but this was entirely because Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) cynically calculated that was the most likely way to blow up the rest of the Biden agenda, a strategy that succeeded in delaying and hence shrinking both bills considerably. Meanwhile, Trump is busy purging all the House Republicans who voted for the infrastructure bill anyway.

I can see why so many liberals grasp at straws to convince themselves Republicans have changed. But it just ain't so. Moreover, I doubt very much whether conservatives will be satisfied with mere political victory. The beating heart of modern conservative politics is a desire to dominate, humiliate, and increasingly inflict violence on liberals. Just look at the skyrocketing rate of assaults on flight attendants, mainly over mask rules, or the surge of death threats against election officials or other state bureaucrats, or the spate of inflamed conservatives threatening violence at school board meetings across the country.

In typical shameless fashion, Republicans justify their aggression by convincing themselves that liberals are engaged in some kind of Marxist-critical race theorist plot to overthrow democracy so that they have an excuse to do the same thing preemptively. (It's the Big Lie turned into an entire political philosophy — if we lose, it's because the other side cheated.)

The irony of all the throbbing metastatic insanity among Republicans is that it looks quite likely that they will win the 2022 midterms fair and square. If they nominated someone other than Trump or one of his many clones climbing the Republican ranks, they would likely be odds-on favorites to win in 2024 as well.

One major reason for this, I submit, is that Democrats have failed to convince their own voters — a substantial majority in the last election — about what Republicans are really up to. The leadership doesn't act like the republic is on the line, or can't bring themselves to believe it. That leaves their base either thinking things are basically fine, or despairing at the thought of fighting back without even their own president on their side.

The nonexistent response to the Wisconsin power grab is further proof Democratic institutions don't protect themselves. They must recognize this dangerous faction for what it is — and react.

READ MORE

 

Contribute to RSN

Follow us on facebook and twitter!

Update My Monthly Donation

PO Box 2043 / Citrus Heights, CA 95611

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: The road to rent control

 

BY LISA KASHINSKY Presented by the Massachusetts Coalition for Independent Work READING THE ROOM ON RENT CONTROL — Michelle Wu wants rent control. Fifty-nine percent of likely Boston mayoral voters support the concept. Yet reversing the ban on Beacon Hill faces a steep uphill climb, even with the Boston mayoral hopeful’s bevy of State House endorsers. Voters ended rent control through a 1994 ballot question. Nearly three decades later, there doesn't appear to be much appetite in the Legislature to bring it back. Two of Wu’s endorsers are trying. State Reps. Mike Connolly of Cambridge and Nika Elugardo of Boston are restarting conversations around their bill to lift the ban and bolster tenant protections. “It’s not your grandmother’s rent control,” Elugardo said of their bill, which would allow municipalities to limit how some landlords could raise rents but would exempt landlords of smaller, owner-occupied dwellings, like traditional double- or triple-deckers. A version of the bill advanced favorably out of the Housing committee last session, but went down badly in a roll call vote, 22-136, when attached to economic development legislation in summer 2020. Elugardo believes there was more support, saying the conversations she’s had on the topic range from “warm to skeptical — but everybody was willing to keep talking about it.” She and Connolly have since streamlined their bill , and Elugardo believes they can get to a majority in the House. But they’d need a supermajority to override a possible veto from Gov. Charlie Baker, who’s against restoring rent control. As they watch rent control get “battle-tested” in the Boston mayor’s race, Connolly said the lawmakers are working on ways to build momentum for and combat any misinformation about their bill on Beacon Hill. Wu hasn’t been involved. She said Wednesday she hasn’t talked to the lawmakers about their bill recently, even as she champions the concept on the campaign trail and defends her support of it in the face of attacks from rival City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George. “Certainly with all of my supporters, I think there’s a clear understanding of the vision that I hope to take the city in, and the type of partnership and conversation that it will involve to get us there,” Wu said during a media availability. But when POLITICO asked if she’d talked to her lawmaker endorsers about their bills recently, she said “no.” Connolly said he wouldn’t expect Wu to be much involved at this stage, because she’s “completely focused on getting out the vote.” He noted her past support for the legislation, including her testimony in support of the bill last session. GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. We'll just have to win it in Houston. TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and other officials attend a Mass State Police recruit graduation at 10 a.m. at the DCU Center in Worcester. Polito continues with STEM week events in Westborough, Chicopee and Westfield. The Legislature hosts a hearing on Covid-19 vaccinations and testing for children at 10 a.m.; the House plans to vote on new districts after 1 p.m. State Attorney General Maura Healey visits Living in Freedom Together Inc. at 11:30 a.m., tours the nonprofit’s new facility in Worcester for survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and hosts a roundtable. Essaibi George details her agenda to close the racial wealth gap at 1:15 p.m. in Dorchester and participates in a WBUR candidate forum at 7 p.m. Boston Acting Mayor Kim Janey gives virtual remarks at the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women’s meeting at 5 p.m. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: lkashinsky@politico.com.   A message from the Massachusetts Coalition for Independent Work: It's clear: Massachusetts app-based drivers want to maintain their flexibility while gaining access to new benefits and protections. 83% support legislation like H.1234 that would do just that — offering them flexibility, independence, protections against discrimination, a portable benefits fund and more. Learn more.     STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down and who really has the president's ear in West Wing Playbook, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.     THE LATEST NUMBERS – “Massachusetts coronavirus cases up 1,355, hospitalizations tick down,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The single-day average of COVID-19 cases is now 995, compared to 1,896 cases a month ago.” DATELINE BEACON HILL – “Add paper to the list of things in short supply,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “Before Boston’s preliminary mayoral election, the city sent information about mail-in voting to every voter. For a time, the city considered doing a second mailing, but Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin, whose office coordinated the mailings, said a second mailing simply wasn’t possible. ‘When we went shopping for cardstock, they didn’t have enough,’ Galvin said. … [Galvin] delayed joining a national voter information database, which the Legislature required Massachusetts to join, because the company requires a mailing that would involve sending millions of pieces of mail out at one time. ” – “Proposed election bills could make voting mandatory, put ballot boxes in prisons,” by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: “Legislators proposed a bevy of bills that could change the Bay State’s election system, including placing ballot boxes in some correctional facilities, making voting mandatory and moving the primary date from September to late spring. … [a] bill proposed by state Rep. Dylan Fernandes, D-Falmouth, would make voting mandatory in November general elections, imposing a $15 fine for those who fail to mail their ballots in, and blank ballots would be accepted.” – “Mental Health Treatment Is A Key Component To Mass. Pandemic Recovery, Baker Says,” by Mike Deehan, GBH News: “Gov. Baker said Wednesday that the biggest challenge the state faces as the pandemic winds down is how to spend billions of dollars in federal funding to assure the state gets back on its feet, with an emphasis on housing and jumpstarting the behavioral health sector." – “Massachusetts Office of the Child Advocate and UMass Chan Medical School launching state center on child wellbeing and trauma,” by Melissa Hanson, MassLive: “With an urgent need to address childhood trauma in Massachusetts, an issue exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, a new center is launching to offer support. The Office of the Child Advocate and Commonwealth Medicine, the public service consulting and operations division of UMass Chan Medical School, announced Wednesday the launch of the Center on Child Wellbeing and Trauma.” – “Licensing Boom Aims To Mitigate School Bus Driver Shortage,” by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service (paywall): “The state licensed more than 300 additional school bus drivers to help navigate a statewide shortage, including nearly 200 National Guard personnel, across a trio of one-day events this fall, officials said Wednesday.” VAX-ACHUSETTS – “Mass General Brigham employees lose bid to halt unpaid leave over vaccine mandate,” by Tonya Alanez, Boston Globe: “On the day that 229 Mass General Brigham employees were placed on unpaid leave for failing to get a COVID-19 vaccine, a federal judge in Boston on Wednesday denied their motion to prevent the company from enforcing its vaccine mandate." – “A few Massachusetts State Police officers quit as 168 new recruits join the force,” by Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald: “Three State Police officers have resigned rather than buck the governor’s vaccine mandate as the agency reports a new class of recruit graduates today just in time.” – “COVID vaccine religious exemption: Who qualifies under Massachusetts’ state worker mandate?” by Benjamin Kail, MassLive. – “FDA approves Moderna COVID booster shots, authorizes mixing and matching with Johnson & Johnson,” by Douglas Hook, MassLive. FROM THE HUB – “3rd tent catches fire in Boston’s Methadone Mile; councilors urge action,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Another tent caught fire in the Mass and Cass area, marking at least the third such instance in the past month — and city councilors are urging further steps to fix conditions in the troubled area, including abatements for property owners. ” – “Boston City Council votes to relax parking rules for affordable housing,” by Tim Logan, Boston Globe: “Following two lawsuits challenging affordable housing developments in Jamaica Plain for having too little parking, the Boston City Council on Wednesday approved a measure that would keep many affordable housing developments from needing to have any parking.” – “U.S. Attorney continues investigation involving Violence In Boston, a group tied to many politicians,” by Sean Philip Cotter and Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The husband of Violence In Boston’s founder Monica Cannon-Grant, Clark Grant, on Tuesday was pinched by the feds on pandemic unemployment and mortgage fraud charges. … Violence In Boston — and specifically Cannon-Grant, once declared ‘Bostonian of the Year’ by The Boston Globe — is deeply enmeshed in the city’s politics, including having ties to both mayoral candidates.” THE RACE FOR CITY HALL – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: The Working Families Party has endorsed City Councilor Michelle Wu for mayor of Boston. Georgia Hollister Isman , New England regional director of the Working Families Party, praised Wu's "bold vision" on "leading the charge for paid family leave, affordable housing and climate solutions that meet the moment." – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Sen. Ed Markey has endorsed incumbent Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia and newcomer Ruthzee Louijeune in the city’s at-large council race. Markey has also endorsed Kendra Hicks for Boston City Council District 6. “These three young leaders represent the future of Boston,” Markey said in a statement. – Mejia has also been endorsed by state Sen. Sal DiDomenico, per her campaign. – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Boston City Council at-large candidate Carla Monteiro has been endorsed by state Rep. Tami Gouveia, who’s running for lieutenant governor, and Everett City Councilor Gerly Adrien, per Monteiro’s campaign. – A three-reporter team from the Boston Globe fact checked what City Councilors Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George said in Tuesday’s debate, from their incomes, to the Boston Public Schools, to funding the MBTA. – From the opinion pages: “Michelle Wu name-dropped Tom Menino. Here’s why,” by Joan Vennochi, Boston Globe: “How smart is Boston city councilor and mayoral front-runner Michelle Wu? Smart enough to counter charges of elitism and pie-in-the-sky notions with a timely embrace of that renowned ‘urban mechanic’ and humble man of the people — the late Mayor Tom Menino.” – "Annissa Essaibi George's journey — the mother, the teacher and the would-be-mayor of Boston," by Anthony Brooks, WBUR: "With just a week and a half to go before Boston's Mayoral election, polls show City Councilor Michelle Wu is the front runner. But [City Councilor Annissa] Essaibi George is still campaigning hard and not giving up." – "Ex-BPD chief’s super PAC returns with TV ad, anti-Wu radio spot," by Gintautas Dumcius, Dorchester Reporter: "The super PAC chaired by former Boston police commissioner William Gross is ramping up its efforts to support mayoral contender Annissa Essaibi George while blasting her rival for the job, Michelle Wu." – “Boston mayoral candidate Annissa Essaibi George inspired as a teacher and businesswoman,” by Meghan E. Irons, Boston Globe: “In her 13 years at East Boston High School, Annissa Essaibi George served as a mother figure to a host of teenagers, an advocate for her students, including those in crisis … But her time as a teacher and operation of her small business also fit into a broader pattern of administrative lapses that runs throughout Essaibi George’s professional career. State records show she did not have a valid teaching license for most of the time she taught at East Boston High School. She also did not register her popular and successful small business, Stitch House, for the past four years, as required by the city. ” FEELING '22 – “Gomez, Higgins Among Those Lining Up Behind Chang-Diaz Campaign,” by Katie Lannan, State House News Service (paywall): “Two more state lawmakers and 11 municipal officials are backing Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz in her bid for governor, the Jamaica Plain Democrat's campaign announced Wednesday. Springfield Sen. Adam Gomez and Leominster Rep. Natalie Higgins threw their support behind Chang-Díaz … Former state Sen. Ben Downing and Harvard Professor Danielle Allen are the other Democratic candidates in the race. Allen earlier this month received the endorsement of The Collective PAC, a national political action committee focused on boosting Black political engagement and representation, and Downing has been backed by the Amherst hub of the Sunrise Movement.” – "Former Attleboro city councilor Julie Hall announces another bid for Congress," by George W. Rhodes, Sun Chronicle: "Former candidate for the 4th Congressional District seat Julie Hall announced Wednesday she’s running again. Jake Auchincloss, a Democrat, defeated Hall in November of 2020, winning the seat with 61 percent of the vote."   A message from the Massachusetts Coalition for Independent Work:     ROLLINS REPORT – “Mitch McConnell takes to Senate floor to criticize Rachael Rollins as her US attorney confirmation vote stalls,” by Amanda Kaufman, Boston Globe: “Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday took to the Senate floor to criticize Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins, characterizing her as ‘soft on crime’ in an escalation of the Republican campaign against her nomination to be the next US attorney for Massachusetts that drew rebuttals from Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey.” FROM THE DELEGATION – “Bill Keating responds to Ted Cruz’s proposal to send immigrants from Texas border to Cambridge, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket,” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “Sen. Ted Cruz’s stunt proposal Tuesday to send all undocumented immigrants to newly created ports of entry in Democrat-led communities like Cambridge, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket has gone largely ignored by the elected officials it seemed intended to irk. However, the Texas Republican did get a response from one Massachusetts congressman. ‘Why is it that whenever Ted Cruz is facing a crisis in Texas his mind seems to wander to vacation destinations? First it was Cancun, now it’s Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard,’ Rep. Bill Keating, who represents the Cape and Islands, tweeted…” – “'End this crisis': Lawmakers urge Tenet CEO to come to Worcester; say company is prolonging strike,” by Cyrus Moulton, Worcester Telegram & Gazette: “Echoing a call by Mayor Joseph M. Petty, the state’s congressional delegation is urging Tenet Healthcare CEO Dr. Saum Sutaria to come to Worcester to settle the St. Vincent Hospital nurses’ strike.” – LISTEN: “Rep. Clark talks negotiations over Biden's spending package,” by Rupa Shenoy, WBUR. PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES – “Wu says local-option tax could help fund fare-free MBTA service,” by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Magazine: “[Michelle] Wu said on Wednesday that she would be open to proposals that have Boston residents help pay at least some of the cost of free fares. Wu said she supports legislation on Beacon Hill to authorize ‘regional ballot initiatives,’ a method of raising revenue for local transportation projects by asking voters to approve new taxes – usually sales or property levies.” – “New work week: Tuesday through Thursday,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “A new dashboard showing average travel times on roadways coming into and out of Boston indicates more people working hybrid schedules are driving in the middle part of the week rather than at the beginning or the end.” – “Some I-93 commuters may begin noticing buses passing them in the breakdown lane. Here’s why,” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “Bus-on-shoulder is coming to the Boston area. Massachusetts officials began running empty buses Wednesday in the breakdown lanes on Interstate-93 north of Boston — between the I-95 interchange and Somerville — to test the feasibility of a longer-term pilot allowing buses with passengers to scoot past traffic [on] one of the area’s most congested stretches of roadway.” THE LOCAL ELECTIONS ROUNDUP – “Worcester Candidates React To Anti-Gay Comments In Schools Race,” by Neal McNamara, Patch: “...several candidates in the Worcester School Committee race are responding to anti-gay comments attributed to one candidate running for a seat. Last week, School Committee candidate Shanel Soucy said screenshots that purportedly show her negatively commenting on gay people were ‘falsified’ and were being circulated by a ‘hate group’ that dislikes her opposition to Worcester's new sex education curriculum.” FROM THE 413 – “Amherst College ends legacy admissions practice, expands financial aid,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “A preference for admission to Amherst College that has historically been given to children of alumni is being eliminated. The college announced Wednesday that, as it also enhances financial aid for future students, so-called legacy admission preference will no longer be a factor in how students are selected for enrollment.” THE LOCAL ANGLE – “North Brookfield School Committee reverses previous action, votes to keep Indian mascot,” by Kim Ring, Worcester Telegram & Gazette: “Less than a year after School Committee members voted to dump the controversial Native American mascot that has been the high school's symbol since 1960, it appears the Indian isn't going anywhere. Following a change in the makeup of the committee, a new vote was taken before the start of the school year, rescinding the action of the previous board.” – “Town Of Bourne Threatened With Lawsuit Over School Committee Member Controversy,” by Sam Drysdale, Bourne Enterprise: “Bourne resident Michael Fraser told the Bourne Board of Selectmen during public comment Tuesday evening, October 19, that he is filing a class action lawsuit on the state and federal levels against the towns of Bourne and Hanover on behalf of Bourne School Committee member Kari MacRae. Ms. MacRae has been at the center of controversy in Bourne after the teachers' union, district administrators and some community members called for her resignation last month over videos Ms. MacRae posted to social media in which she said ‘critical race theory’ and issues of gender identity should not be taught in public schools.” – “MIT professor sues after he was forced to resign from institute following sexual harassment allegations,” by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: “A prominent Massachusetts Institute of Technology biology professor who was forced two months ago to resign from the biomed institute where he worked following sexual harassment allegations has filed a lawsuit claiming he is the victim of false claims made to ‘exact revenge against a former lover,’ according to court records.” SPOTTED – Former Boston Police Commissioner William Gross at Fenway Park, per WCVB. TRANSITIONS – Steve Kerrigan has been appointed to the Health & Wellness Advisory Council for America250, the nationwide commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Daniel Sheehan, Erik Bruun, Sam Hiersteiner, Brian Rosman, Megan Murray, Edith Gregson and Shaye J. D. Cohen. THIS WEEK ON THE HORSE RACE — Hosts Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith and Lisa Kashinsky break down the Boston mayor’s race and what a new poll means for Gov. Charlie Baker. Deanna Moran, director of environmental planning at the Conservation Law Foundation, joins to talk about climate resiliency. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud. Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com .   A message from the Massachusetts Coalition for Independent Work: The Massachusetts Coalition for Independent Work is proud to stand with drivers, community leaders, equity advocates and others to preserve the way drivers earn and provide for their families. Learn more.     BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER: The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we’ve got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don’t miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now.       Follow us on Twitter Lisa Kashinsky @lisakashinsky   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA

Massachusetts Senate passes ‘groundbreaking’ voting reforms

 

BOSTONHERALD.COM

Massachusetts Senate passes ‘groundbreaking’ voting reforms

State senators passed a “groundbreaking” package of voting reforms — including making mail-in voting permanent, expanding early voting access and introducing same-day registration — bringing the state one step closer to enshrining pandemic-era expansions in voter access into state law.

“The overarching goal of this legislation is to move our election system into the modern era and make sure that every voter can exercise their fundamental right to vote,” Sen. Barry Finegold, D-Andover, said introducing the bill on the Senate floor on Wednesday.

Finegold, co-chairman of the Joint Committee on Election Laws, called the so-called “VOTES” Act a “massive step in the right direction” that builds upon progress in voter access expansion made amid the pandemic.

Senators passed the bill 36-3 in a party-line vote with Sens. Bruce Tarr, Ryan Fattman and Patrick O’Connor against.

The bill aims to make permanent no excuses universal mail-in voting and guarantees two weeks of early voting for general elections and one week of early voting for primaries. It introduces same-day registration for new voters looking to cast a ballot on Election Day or any early voting day, which is already policy in 20 states plus Washington, D.C., including neighboring New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine and Vermont.

The bill also spells out a plan to boost ballot access for eligible incarcerated voters and people with disabilities.

The Senate bill also permanently empowers local clerks to pre-process mail-in ballots, which will allow election officials to open up ballot envelopes and verify voters’ signatures well in advance of Election Day to avoid reporting delays seen in some regions in the 2020 election.

Gov. Charlie Baker has said he would support permanent mail-in voting, but the Republican governor has been less inviting on same-day voter registration.

Opponents criticized the state Senate’s “rush” to push through the “controversial” reforms.

“They want this to help them in Democratic primaries. There is no good reason why something this momentous and controversial needs to be rushed without support from both parties and without buy-in from groups with differing ideological viewpoints,” Paul Diego Craney of the right-leaning Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance said.

The House in June passed a bill making the pandemic vote-by-mail option permanent, but Speaker Ronald Mariano, D-Quincy, said the chamber would need a new bill to counter the Senate’s reform package. He didn’t let much slip on what that might include during a Monday conversation with reporters.

House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz has said the bill would cost taxpayers up to $3 million a year to pay for stamps to mail ballot applications and ballots.

Proponents argue the cost is justified as voters have embraced mail-in voting. Nearly 42% of the record 3.6 million ballots cast in the 2020 general election were mail-in ballots — more than the number of votes cast in person early or on Election Day.