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Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

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Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#191

Post by awb »

vfclists wrote: post #95
spywaregorilla wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean, you seem to have confidently written "Black people don't need Juneteenth holidays" which I'm sure many Black individuals would disagree with. This is made more ironic when in the line above you criticize white people for dictating what Black people need.

The emphasis here is on need , not that's a nice gesture

The point is that starting a discussion with “black people ______” and “white people _____” sounds like you’re speaking about all (or even most) black / white people.

If you say “As a black person, I feel uncomfortable with a majority white Senate granting a holiday when I don’t feel respected by government institutions or feel like the need for reparations is being respected” it gives space for people who disagree with you to still hear your opinions.

Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#192

Post by Jcowell »

jolux wrote: post #175
caslon wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's largely because increased voting overwhelmingly (and almost exclusively) benefits one side in the US. While it's obviously good to have increased participation in democracy, the side that's going to more or less cease to exist if we ever get even 80% citizen participation obviously has an incentive to make voting harder.

I used to think this was true, but I think the last election has proved this theory wrong. The Democrats won, but there was record turnout for both candidates, and it was a lot closer than many were expecting. Republicans are in the process of making it so it doesn’t matter who wins.

I feel this doesn’t account for districts that were Gerry wandered and what would have happened had there been fair drawing of districts I. These communities. This is Where number allocation is more important that how many numbers there are.

Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#193

Post by User23 »

andrepd wrote: post #124
skissane wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Australia we always have elections on Saturday. Works well for most people. Of course, there is a minority of people it doesn't work well for, such as people who have to work on Saturdays, and observant Jews. And for those people we have early voting and postal voting too. I never quite understand why voting is such a controversial topic in the US. In many countries (I'm sure Australia is not alone in this) it is…

There's a long history of targeted disenfranchisement in the US. Particularly when it comes to black people.

This is because the USA was never intended to be a democracy.

Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#194

Post by returningfory2 »

andy_ppp wrote: post #100
arrosenberg wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The technically correct term is "approved by unanimous consent", which makes perfect sense. Just the media changing it.

But how is it unanimous? It literally is whoever was there (which is not all senators) and they did not actively approve of the motion (just didn't disapprove). I realise this is semantics but it seemed strange to me.

Each senator is given advance notice of all bills that are proposed to be be passed using the unanimous consent procedure. This being passed meant that each senator affirmatively decided not to stop it. Their presence or otherwise in the chamber is not really relevant.

Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#195

Post by yifanl »

mbg721 wrote: post #184
LordDragonfang wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"More people voting always hurts , and helps their opponents" has always seemed to me like an admission that is innately anti-democratic, and I don't know how people ever spin it otherwise.

"Requiring ID to vote always hurts " has always seemed to me like an admission that is innately anti-democratic, and I don't know how people ever spin it otherwise.

I don't follow how flipping the point from "more voting" to "less voting" while not flipping the "anti-democratic" clause tracks.

Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#196

Post by User23 »

dlp211 wrote: post #138
throwkeep wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Make it a holiday and move the election to the day after tax day: "Elections should be held on April 16th- the day after we pay our income taxes. That is one of the few things that might discourage politicians from being big spenders." - Thomas Sowell

What a trite and overly simplistic idea. First is the idea that Government spending is bad. Second is the idea that Government spending is controlled directly by taxes. Third is the idea that a majority of people actually pay any income tax at the end of the year. Fourth is the idea that people understand their taxes. Fifth is the idea that it is income taxes are the only taxes. I could go on, but I digress.

You’ve not said anything obviously false, but I also don’t see you making any kind of a point. I think you’re attempting to imply one though and I’m curious what it is.

Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#197

Post by favorited »

JMTQp8lwXL wrote: post #162
nielsbot wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Their "best effort" would be to change the filibuster and get it done. You're talking about the current voting reform bill(s)? Manchin is taking the heat for holding this up, but the problem is broader than that: There are a handful of Dems (at least) whose sponsors also don't want this bill to pass, so I'm not holding my breath for any reform happening in this area. And where are Biden and Schumer? They are pretty q…

Biden and Schumer can't unilaterally decide Manchin's vote for him. This is a democracy, after all. Conversations are likely happening behind closed doors. So we shouldn't critique Democratic leadership just yet.

And, if they piss off Manchin or try to punish him for not getting in line, all he has to do is change parties. Then Mitch McConnell is Majority Leader again, and no one gets anything.

Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#198

Post by sidlls »

dtnewman wrote: post #105
eganist wrote: post #16

This is a good symbolic gesture, but making election day a federal holiday equivalent in standing with Christmas would have real and positive impact. But the latter never draws the votes in congress, so that should tell us how meaningless this vote truly was.

No. Make early voting widely available and mail ballots available to anyone who requests one. Stop thinking of elections as a single day. That’ll be much healthier for democracy.

No, a healthy democracy only exists with complete transparency and access throughout the whole process. That means a public counting of paper ballots--no mail-ins, no electronic ballots, etc. Other large democracies manage to do it this way; America can, too.

Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#199

Post by memling »

nielsbot wrote: post #120
JMTQp8lwXL wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Election reform seems like a meaningful issue to tackle: what could be more fundamental to our Democracy? Democrats seem poised to make their best effort, but it's extremely difficult to do with 50+1 votes in the Senate. I wouldn't characterize D's as not doing anything on this specific issue.

Their "best effort" would be to change the filibuster and get it done. You're talking about the current voting reform bill(s)? Manchin is taking the heat for holding this up, but the problem is broader than that: There are a handful of Dems (at least) whose sponsors also don't want this bill to pass, so I'm not holding my breath for any reform happening in this area. And where are Biden and Schumer? They are pretty q…

> Their "best effort" would be to change the filibuster and get it done.

This seems like an iffy proposal. Changing most judicial nominations to simple majority has had a significant impact on the judiciary. Eliminating the filibuster for potentially short-lived gains while handing opposition a nearly blank check for future legislative victories seems like a long-term problem. It seems likely to exacerbate political tensions rather than relieve them.

One can argue that the deliberate nature of the Senate is inimical to justice and therefore has to change, but when the pendulum swings in the other direction it may prove to move too rapidly to injustice.

Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#200

Post by Alex3917 »

nopzor wrote: post #37
Alex3917 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

MLK’s birthday should be changed to Election Day. No extra day off, and everyone goes into the polls reminded of his legacy.

do you mean election day should be changed to MLK's birthday?

> do you mean election day should be changed to MLK's birthday?

No, I mean we go in and edit Wikipedia.

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