News Briefing Quest Assignment

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation

The article selected for the assessment is “Congress has a massive voting rights bill in its grasp. It must pass it, now,” written by Dennis Aftergut. The author focuses on how the elections clause in the Constitution makes it difficult for a considerable number of people in conservative states to vote. This fundamental argument made is that the clause provides Congress with the power to override the measures in federal elections. Conversely, he provides information on how the Freedom to Vote Act could change voting in the U.S. For instance, the adoption of the bill would allow former convicts to vote, provide 15 days of early voting to voters, avail absentee voting universally, and assist in leveling the campaign financing arena. All the other freedoms of individuals living in the U.S. are protected by the right to vote. In this regard, electing responsible individuals into office ensures that the officials pass bills that protect all the other freedoms enjoyed by Americans.

Traditionally, for voters to be qualified to participate in elections, states determined the qualification instead of the Federal Government. However, the 15th Amendment gave Congress the authority to guarantee people’s right to vote regardless of their racial backgrounds (Blackmun, 1985). The article covers some of the elements included in the Freedom to Vote Act, consequently comparing the provisions of the bill with the 1965 Voting Rights Act that provided the federal government with different rules that would be followed for registering to vote. The passing of the Freedom to Vote Act would be a step towards fixing enforcement at Federal Election Commission. The enforcement process would be vital to ensuring that the work of the commission would be inclusive of investigating potential violators of the law devoid of being thwarted by partisanship. By description, the federalism doctrine does not explain the regulatory dynamics existing between the states and Congress regarding the federal election Clause. The article provides this distinction substantively.

In my opinion, Congress should pass the Freedom to Vote Act essentially to promote election security. In this regard, the bill could prevent the subversion of the American electoral process. The Act represents a significant step towards the push for enacting legislation that would improve the democracy of the country, including the promotion of racial justice and equity. If passed, the Act would prevent the assault the voting rights of individuals in some states. In addition to the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, it would be presumed that the Freedom to Vote Act could be the regarded as the most comprehensive law to be enacted in the country in decades. Considering the ongoing redistricting of Congress, including the 2022 midterm campaigns that are set to begin early in the year, Congress should pass the bill urgently. The act will provide individuals in the country with a baseline national standard for individuals to access voting and expand the opportunities for individuals to vote.

References

Aftergut, D. (2021). Congress has a massive voting rights bill in its grasp. It must pass it, now. Retrieved 23 September 2021, from https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/sep/22/congress-must-pass-voting-rights-bill

Blackmun, H. A. (1985). Section 1983 and federal protection of individual rights-will the statute remain alive or fade away. NYUL Rev., 60, 1.