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In this issue:  Election reform advocates regroup,  12 years after Citizen United, and sore losers are bad for democracy

The Fulcrum
January 20, 2022



TOP STORY

Election reform advocates regroup, plan next steps

David Meyers

Even though Democrats’ two signature election reform bills have once again been defeated in the Senate, advocates for change are vowing to press ahead on multiple fronts.

Republicans, as expected, blocked passage of the combined Freedom to Vote Act and John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act on Wednesday night. And Democrats’ effort to change the filibuster went down immediately after, as moderates Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema sided with Republicans in blocking the rules change.

Now some advocates are focusing on a limited set of federal voting reforms while others are taking aim at state and local changes. And a bipartisan group of senators has been discussing a handful of ideas that might be achievable in the 50-50 Senate.

Regardless of the path forward, many advocates seem to agree with RepresentUs CEO Johsua Graham Lynn, who on Wednesday said: “While the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act is the best way to protect America’s democracy in this precarious moment, it’s not the only way.”

Keep Reading...

DEBATE

Money, power and the Constitution: Fixing the foundation

Jeff Clements

The fight now isn't to overturn Citizens United. It's about how we rescue free speech and the First Amendment for all Americans, writes Jeff Clements, president of American Promise.

PODCAST

Podcast: Sore losers are bad for democracy

Our Staff

In this episode of the "Democracy Works" podcast, the discussion focuses on why the loser’s consent is a critical part of a healthy democracy and what happens when politicians fail to abide by it.

Listen now

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Contributors

We are not helpless

Eric Liu

Why gun control laws don’t pass Congress, despite public support and repeated outrage over mass shootings

Monika L. McDermott
David R. Jones

Courting theocracy

Lawrence Goldstone

But what can I do?

Pedro Silva

Are large donor networks still needed to win in a fairer election system?

Paige Chan

Independent voters want to be heard. Is anybody listening?

David Thornburgh
John Opdycke
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