Member-only story
The struggle in Congress over democracy reform has reached the rubicon. The only question now is the character of the reform that the Democrats will fix upon. The For The People Act, also known as H.R.1, is an omnibus package that mixes ethics reform with three fundamental changes to the way federal elections would happen in the United States. One change affirms fundamentally an equal freedom for all to vote, regardless of party — effectively reversing the worst of the changes now being made in the states to suppress the votes of Democrats. A second would end partisan gerrymandering. And a third would attack the corruption in the way campaigns are currently funded.
The smart money never expected H.R.1 to get this far. It was hard to believe that Nancy Pelosi, the Democrats’ most successful fundraiser, would champion a bill that radically changes the power of big money in American politics. But she did. And then it was even harder to believe that Chuck Schumer, also a wildly successful Democratic fundraiser, would champion the bill in the Senate. But he has too, promising to bring it to a vote before the end of the month. It is now clear that Congress will have the chance to do something fundamental. The only uncertainty is exactly how fundamental.
