This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news analysis.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1314972
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1314972
Wow, an article on the Democratic presidential nominee? And it’s only Tuesday?
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According to the author … Biden:
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Has no comprehensive voting rights plan, is largely silent on the issue of voting rights, has occasionally mentioned the need for reform but has never provided many specifics.
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Has only seemingly endorsed H. R. 1, the omnibus election reform bill passed by the House of Representatives last year, and whether he supports the bill in full is still unclear.
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Has not supported federal legislation to prohibit discriminatory voter ID requirements and fraudulent voter purges.
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Has the weakest position on felon disenfranchisement, saying only vaguely that he wants to “incentivize states to automatically restore voting rights for individuals convicted of felonies once they have served their sentences.”
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Has not provide a set of “best practices” for states trying to increase usage of vote-by-mail options.
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Has not endorsed ranked-choice voting, the Native American Voting Rights Act, statehood for Washington D.C., independent redistricting commissions to end gerrymandering, or the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.
If any of this is true, then why?
We could say that it’s because voters don’t care about any of it, but that excuse would be … slightly absurd.
We could also say that the author, Adam Eichen – Campaigns Manager for Equal Citizens and co-author of Daring Democracy: Igniting Power, Meaning, and Connection for the America We Want – is a bit of a voting-rights freak – but … shouldn’t a Democratic nominee also be a bit of a voting-rights freak?
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However, Biden’s effectiveness as a voting rights advocate is deeply hampered by the fact that he still does not have a stand-alone voting rights plan on his website.
Uh, Biden’s effectiveness is hampered more by his currently holding no public office. And perhaps he shouldn’t hand a roadmap to the opposition describing how best to prevent him from gaining that public office?
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Any such “roadmap” could only take effect after he wins an election, if even then … so how could knowledge of his “roadmap” help the opposition defeat him in the election?
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Biden will endorse and support any quality reform measure that comes out of Congress, such as HR 1. He need not say anything more than that. The voting rights platform is simple: Vote for Biden and I’ll pass whatever quality reform you can get through Congress. On this matter, we have several examples of Democratic Governors doing this in several states where Dems have also seized a legislative majority. Go win the Senate, Presidency, expand the House and win state leg races.
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No.
Biden doesn’t have to do ANYTHING but let the Nazi implode.
Uncle Joe - don’t listen to stupid shit that demands you do anything that could be used against you, which will of course be parroted on this site.
How ridiculous.
Nice of you guys to criticize Biden.
Meanwhile, TPM’s current banner headline story might as well be a Trump Press Release – uncritically repeating “highlights” from Trump’s speech today and allowing false statements to stand uncorrected. I could find pretty much the exact same “report” on any right-wing website.
Journalism isn’t simply repeating false statements verbatim and expecting people to do the fact checking on their own.
There’s a broader issue at stake. Democrats need to do a better job of defining what they stand for. Say what you will about the GOP, the public knows what they stand for. There’s really very little awareness of where Democrats stand. But Biden is not the worst offender in this regard, not by a long stretch. And the proof is in the pudding; he is less underwater in approval polling than Congress, and he has a greater lead over Trump than congressional Democrats do over Republicans. The fact is, we have a fragmented Democratic caucus, especially in the House where there’s still a sizable contingent of about 30 that is clearly center-right on economics, including indicating an openness to that old disastrous saw of “entitlement reform”, and it has taken all of Pelosi’s considerable leadership and management skills to get House Democrats this far without serious public splits.
But we now need a platform with a public profile. Not in August. Now. And I think Biden and other leaders should run with two or three simple issues they KNOW are going to be in the final platform and start relentlessly messaging with them, to give the public an idea of not just what they’re against, but what they could be for.
Voting rights is one such unifying theme, a critical one, because it speaks to the message of people getting a fair shake from government. So Democrats should be pushing that aggressively.
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Is this person suggesting that Biden needs help here? He’s a seasoned politician. It’s pretty damn stupid to think that “Biden has no plan” for something that’s essential for his victory. No post Clinton democrat has taken voting rights lightly.
If Biden is not saying something it’s because now’s not the time to talk. Every Democrat in America knows he’s for the broadest expansion of voting rights he can get anyway. Right now all Biden has to do is sit back and let Trump sink himself. If he jumps out with broad policy suggestions now the media will label him presumptuous and " he’s not president yet" will be all over the place.
WTF?
So your theory is Biden shouldn’t tell us any of his plans (assuming he has them) in case the republicans try to make him lose? As far as not holding public office, he’s saying that he is the best choice to hold the highest office, but isn’t bothering to tell us why. I’m not trump didn’t work so well for Hillary, I think the country is tired of politicians trying to put a band aid on a broken leg.
There are a lot of people out there still trying to decide how to vote - against trump or for making a statement and voting say green. Biden needs to be VERY clear about why we vote for him. He really doesn’t need you making excuses for him - he’s pretty good at making his own.
I thought the president was supposed to be a leader - silly me.
Still with the “I’m not trump”. Biden may be leading in the polls, but the same polls will tel you no one is excited about him. Saying a presidential candidate does not need to tell us what he stands for means to me that you think either he doesn’t really know what he stands for or perhaps he stands for some pretty unpopular things.