ABC News reported, “President Joe Biden in a fiery speech on Tuesday decried Republican efforts to limit ballot access across the country as a “21st Century Jim Crow assault,” while warning Americans that the GOP push to restrict voting and “selfish” challenge of the 2020 election results were “the most significant test of our democracy since the Civil War.” Without mentioning Trump, Biden explained,, ” in America when you lose an election you accept it, abide by the Constitution, try again, and don’t deny the facts.” He called that behavior ” selfish” not ” statesmanship.”
The Republican party’s reaction to the 2020 election’s high turnout of over 150 million people( despite the pandemic) and exceedingly fraud-free voting practices have spurred Republican-led legislative efforts to pass bills that make it harder for Americans to vote. Biden passionately talked about the diversity of voters of all ages, races, and backgrounds who turned out to vote, resulting in a Joe Biden victory, and the Democrats winning the House and the Senate.
Biden chastised the actions of Republicans by citing how “election officials, the entire electoral system, withstood unrelenting political attacks, physical threats, intimidation, and pressure”. They did so with unyielding courage and faith in our democracy.” The president appealed to Americans to stop believing the election lies by reminding them of facts such as 1) recount after a recount showed no significant fraud, 2) over 80 courts found no evidence of fraud, and 3) all state secretary’s of state-certified their elections including the Supreme Court. Biden proclaimed;
“It’s clear. For those who challenge the results and question the integrity of the election: No other election has ever been held under such scrutiny and such high standards.
The Big Lie is just that: a big lie. (Applause.)”
Biden did whatever he could today to appeal to the American people to celebrate democracy and to reject the Republican fear-based tactics to suppress the fair access to vote for all Americans. He showed his commitment to the survival of the American democracy by calling out the dishonest, anti-democratic actions Republicans are taking to make it harder for people to vote.
Two obstacles to blocking the national move by Republican-led state governments to restrict access to voting are Senators Joe Manchin from West Virginia and Kristin Sinema from Arizona. After listening to Biden’s alarming message of the threat that voter suppression bills present to our democracy, it is hard to accept these senators’ naive attachment to the filibuster. Biden is trying to inject morality, loyalty to the constitution, and unity into his legislative goals. He is urging Democrats, sane Republicans, and all Americans to ” stand up and fight” against the lies and disinformation.
The poisoning of our political discourse by Donald Trump, Republican members of Congress, and the right-wing media must be countered with the message that Biden is conveying implies nothing is more important than keeping our democracy. This differs from the message sent by the Republican party and Trump which is all about regaining power for selfish reasons. Biden made the argument for a return to the basics of our democracy when he said, ”
For “We the People,” for our democracy, for America itself, we must act. (Applause.)
