When I was a young lad, I would encounter difficulties with some tasks like learning to tie my shoes. In frustration I would cry out, “I can’t!” (More accurately, “I cain’t!”)
My mother would calmly reply to me, “Cain’t never could.” I hear that’s a Southern thing.
For months in the Senate a small handful of Republican Senators have been saying, “We can’t (cain’t) pass the SAVE Act. “ The SAVE act assures that every voter provide proof of eligibility to vote and a photo ID.
Over 80% of Americans are in favor. Senate Democrats have stood firmly against it. They were aided by a few Republican Senators.
If Republicans stood with the same solidarity as the Democrats, the SAVE Act would have been debated way back in February. In fact I wrote an article about the Senate forcing the Democrats to have a real filibuster if they wanted to block the SAVE Act. (See “Make them Filibuster” from February 17)
But what did Republicans do? They never brought the bill up for debate. The refrain was, “We cain’t do it!” They blamed Senate rules, reconciliation hurdles, floor time, bipartisan sensitivities (you’ve got to be kidding me), and any other excuse they could find.
Senator Mike Lee, a strong proponent of the bill was like an Old Testament prophet calling the Republicans to task. He clearly pointed out that the Senate is not blocked by rules; it is blocked by will. It isn’t, “I cain’t” it is “I won’t.”
Something finally changed in the past 72 hours when Senator Susan Collins of Maine changed her vote on the motion to proceed and voted “yes.” The roof of the Senate did not cave in. Lightning did not strike. Lo and behold, instead of “I cain’t do it.” She simply did it.
Now before we get too excited, this only allows debate on the bill. The Senate is a long way from getting it passed, but they are over the invisible wall that has held them back for months.
Now, instead of blaming procedural issues and doing nothing, Senators will be forced to debate the bill, not the Senate procedural rules. It requires courage — the very thing voters sent them to Washington to demonstrate.
Now that the Senate voted to move forward with debate, it raises one simple question for Republicans in the Senate. Will Republicans in the Senate rediscover the resolve that once defined their party? Will they stand firm? That remains to be seen.
I am thankful that Senator Susan Collins took a step, even if it is only a baby step. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she heard a calm, soothing, encouraging but firm voice saying, “Cain’t never could,” and she proved that it can be done.
Thank you for reading.
