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A congressman from New York voiced Democrats’ frustration with the failed attempt to pass “voting rights” legislation in a statement calling opponents “white nationalists.”
Rep. Mondaire Jones lamented the failure of the Senate to change filibuster rules and allow Democrats to ram through the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act.
The New York Democrat took to the House floor Thursday to declare that lawmakers had “used the Jim Crow filibuster to block voting rights legislation,” presumably attacking Republicans as well as Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz. who voted not to amend the filibuster rule.
Jones, who was called “a leading voice in the fight to protect the right to vote and save American democracy” in a press release from his office, declared that the “weight of history, and the force of reason, are on our side” in remarks meant to encourage disappointed Democrats.
(Video: YouTube/Rep. Mondaire Jones)
“We are not going anywhere. We are more energized than ever to see this through. We must pick up Senate seats this fall to make the filibuster an impossibility,” he said.
“As you just heard, we are living through the worst assault on the right to vote since Jim Crow. And yesterday, on the Senate floor, white nationalists used the Jim Crow filibuster to block voting rights legislation,” Jones declared.
“But they did not win the contest for the soul of our nation,” he added. “I rise to affirm that We, the People, aren’t giving up that easy. We never give up.”
The 34-year-old freshman representing New York’s 17th District is the youngest member of the Democratic House leadership team, serves as a Deputy Whip for the Congressional Progressive Caucus and co-chairs the LGBTQ Equality Caucus.
Jones continued his remarks by quoting the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and adding that “while our work must include the ballot box, it must also go beyond it.”
“Hold your elected officials accountable. Educate your friends, your family, your neighbors. Change their hearts and their minds,” he said.
Jones’ characterization of the failed election reform attempt as the worst assault on the right to vote drew major criticism on social media.
Under the rules of the House of Reps, there was a time in the not to distant past, when the Speaker Tip O’Neil would call for the gentlemen’s words to be taken down for violating House rules.
— John Leshney (@JohnLeshney) January 21, 2022
Journalist Glenn Greenwald noted the hypocrisy of Democrats in crying foul over the filibuster while also using it to their advantage.
“Democrats continue to call the filibuster the “Jim Crow filibuster” even though just ***last week***, Senate Democrats — at the behest of the Biden WH — used the Jim Crow filibuster to prevent enactment of Ted Cruz’s sanctions bill which had 55 votes,” he tweeted.
Other Twitter users agreed:
You had Senators fillibuster a bill, and then go on TV talking about how we need to get rid of it. How much more absurd can we get?
— StevenWoolery (@Stevenwoolery) January 21, 2022
Sen. Barack Obama in 2005 vigorously defending the filibuster, which he now decries as a “Jim Crow relic:” pic.twitter.com/hzRK5QxSnI
— Life-Force Aldo 🐚👣🐚 (@Aldo_9111) January 21, 2022
I’ve always been an independent voter, never voted a straight party ticket in my life, but I’ve got to admit, I f*cking hate the current incarnation of the Democrat Party 💯
— Russell (@Patrick08732099) January 21, 2022
I’m shocked that Democrats can’t see how goofy they look calling everybody and everything racist. The word ‘racist’ no longer has meaning, since it’s been misused and overused.
— Gen X Tex (@generationxtex) January 20, 2022
Seriously, not passing a milquetoast voting bill that extends early voting by a couple of days and requires mail-in voting is not Jim Crow, nor is it likely to make any difference.
— Cerberus (@Cerberus0fHades) January 21, 2022
They have absolutely no self awareness whatsoever
— Mr. Munchy (@swampdonk24) January 21, 2022
One common characteristic that I noticed w/ these Dems that prompted my #demexit was a strong consistent tendency to tell me who they really are by accusing their opponents of it.
— AnnaP (@P5120Anna) January 21, 2022
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