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Perspectives: Is bipartisanship dead?

The Capitol is seen in Washington, Friday morning, Dec. 14, 2018, after Congress adjourned until next week as a partial government shutdown looms. Congressional leaders and the President Donald Trump appear to have moved farther apart in their demands, particularly over funding his proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
The Capitol is seen in Washington, Friday morning, Dec. 14, 2018, after Congress adjourned until next week as a partial government shutdown looms. Congressional leaders and the President Donald Trump appear to have moved farther apart in their demands, particularly over funding his proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) The Capitol is seen in Washington, Friday morning, Dec. 14, 2018, after Congress adjourned until next week as a partial government shutdown looms. Congressional leaders and the President Donald Trump appear to have moved farther apart in their demands, particularly over funding his proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

By Karen Hobert Flynn and Carrie Lukas / Tribune Content Agency 7 min read

POINT: The freedom to vote is nonpartisan

By Karen Hobert Flynn

For the third time this year, all 50 Senate Democrats voted to advance major voting rights legislation, and all Senate Republicans voted against allowing a public debate. On Oct. 20, they blocked the Freedom to Vote Act, a bill with commonsense reforms and widespread support. It’s a compilation of tried-and-true solutions empowering voters in states – bipartisan reforms that help ensure our elected officials represent we the people, not secret special interests.

Today, many Americans are skeptical about who our elected officials are working for. Seven in 10 of us believe “the economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful” and “traditional parties and politicians don’t care about people like me.” Yet for three years, Senate Republicans have refused to allow even public debate on a bill to protect our freedom to vote and get big money out of politics. This marks a huge, and troubling, change. Since the earliest days of our country, government “by the people” has been something Americans agreed on – regardless of party.

The Voting Rights Act is a good example of how the work of “keeping our Republic” has historically crossed party boundaries. Each time it has been updated, a Republican president signed it into law: