Representative Democracy Is Under Attack, Again, in the United States Senate

Today, a minority of senators blocked a motion to allow debate on S.1 the 'For the People Act,' a comprehensive set of anti-corruption/pro-democracy reform voting rights reforms. In response Morris Pearl, former managing director at Blackrock, Inc., and Chair of the Patriotic Millionaires, issued the following statement:

"The Senate's vote today to block debate on S.1, the For the People Act, demonstrates the vital need for Democrats to abolish the filibuster in the Senate. The ability of a minority of senators to block the very discussion of vital legislation is a far cry from the representative democracy that makes America exceptional. American democracy is built on elected representatives debating and voting on legislation that is important to their constituents. To block something as simple as debating legislation goes against our country's democratic values."

"Today's vote by the majority of the senate makes it clear that one party values the democracy that has sustained this country for 200 plus years, and the other party is seeking to subvert democracy to amass more political power. The decision Democrats have in front of them is clear: Our nation is going to have either majority rule, or permanent rule by the minority."