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Liberals React to Defeat of 'For the People Act'

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  June 23, 2021 7:30 AM

Liberals did not handle the news well that Senate Republicans used the filibuster to block the Democrats’ corrupt “For the People Act”—a federal takeover of the local elections. Despite President Biden warning that “democracy is in peril,” not a single Republican supported opening debate on the bill. From politicians to pundits, the left reacted as you’d expect.   

"Our American Democracy is in peril, and today, every single Senate Republican voted against saving it. Democrats will not be deterred in our fight,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement. "Our Republic is at a crossroads, and it is up to us to save it."

Over at CNN, Chris Cuomo spoke of the "existential battle" taking place and sounded off on Democrats for not being prepared.

“Here we are again talking about using a minority party using the filibuster to allow them to keep suppressing the votes of minorities and others,” he said. “It is an existential battle. This is not about left and right. It is about right and wrong. I don’t understand how you can see two sides on this…”

Grabien Media’s Tom Elliott caught an MSNBC panel’s meltdown.

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"50 Democrats represent 43 million more people than the 50 Republicans do and this is a holdover from really the time of enslavement,” guest Mark Thompson said. “This is not democracy, this is a minority that is controlling this. And you know, at the risk of making a controversial metaphor, we know what minority rule is, and there’s a term for minority rule and that’s called apartheid.”

Mara Gay of The New York Times, the editorial board member who was triggered by American flags, said this is “some of the darkest hours of your history books coming to life."

MSNBC's Elise Jordan called on Democrats to "start playing dirtier."

"I think Democrats are going to have to start playing dirtier if they want to get anything done," she said. "This idea that the filibuster needs to be preserved just because it's the body of decency and debate and bipartisan consensus. That’s just not where the Senate is right now. We saw insurrectionists storm the Capitol. We see plenty of Republican senators deny that that ever even happened. We see the continuation of the big lie. Democrats have to figure out a way to start moving something forward, because nothing is getting done. The American people are frustrated. They’re banking on if they get rid of the filibuster, then maybe Americans will possibly like what they’re doing and then Republicans wouldn’t win in the next re-election cycle. It's really frustrating to watch when I think that we all can see what's happening here, and it's time to get tough."

Then there were the Democrats who spoke out against the filibuster despite previously supporting it.

TAPPER: “Senator, haven’t you voted in favor of filibustering Republican legislation, not allowing them to even proceed to a discussion, an amendment process and debate on a bill?”

BLUMENTHAL: “We have used the 60-vote threshold a number of times.”

TAPPER: “But you’re talking about it being corrupt, but you’ve used it, too.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed to keep fighting.