Rep. Newhouse on Voting Rights Push
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Rep. Dan Newhouse, one of the 10 House Republicans to impeach Trump, joins Sarah and Steve on today’s podcast. They discuss why he is against Biden’s new voting rights legislation and how much influence the federal government should have over elections. Plus, the congressman talks about his view of the filibuster, and the rightward shift of rural America.
Show Notes:
-Rep. Newhouse's statement against new voting rights legislation
I am so so glad that Steve and Sarah left the congressman's exact location in Washington vague. I think it would have physically hurt hearing them try to pronounce Yakima or Okanogan.
I largely liked this interview. Really admire him for going as far as he has gone to oppose Trump. Perhaps Democrats would want him to go further. But their ass isn't the one in the fire.
Again I largely disagreed with his comments on voter suppression and the Dispatch's stance on voter suppression in general. I have found both to be poorly argued and largely turning a blind eye to the incentives the Republican party has to suppress the vote.
Record high voter turnout. Again it is not about overall voter turnout. It is about writing veiled legislation designed to suppress votes in particular areas. It is more about close elections that can turn on a small margin than overall turnout. This is a invalid point.
Well we have ID for a whole lot of stuff other than voting. Well to borrow a phrase from the second amendment camp those are not constitutional rights. The right to bear arms is a constitutional right. Conservatives are resistant to a lot of reforms people might call common sense because it is a right and not a privilege like driving. Voting is a right as well yet you don't see Republicans up in arms about making it harder to vote. I think photo ID is a reasonable requirement. The democratic argument is their are a variety of reasons it is hard for poor people and minorities to get a photo ID. If it really is about identifying people Republican Governments could send workers to voters homes to take their picture, check their background, and give them an ID for free. A national firearms database might threaten gun rights the left might add. I think voter ID might secure voting rights. But the franchise is a right. If the government wants to impose a burden on that right they should pay for it.
I double dog dare the Dispatch to actually have someone on The Dispatch podcast or Advisory Opinions who believes voter suppression is a problem and duke it out. If the facts and reason are on your side you shouldn't be threatened by an ill thought out position that has not evidence.
Hear that I double dog dare you. What you going to do now Dispatch?