Kathrine Frich
He was pushing hard for a major voting bill currently stalled in Congress.
When politicians face a stubborn roadblock in Washington, they usually try intense arm-twisting or late-night negotiations.
Every now and then, a leader tries an entirely different tactic to get what they want.
A rare warning
During a recent speech in Georgia, Donald Trump made a surprisingly emotional plea to his supporters. He was pushing hard for a major voting bill currently stalled in Congress.
The proposed law requires proof of citizenship for voter registration and strict photo ID at the ballot box. While the House of Representatives already passed the measure, it hit a wall in the Senate.
Trump admitted he is not usually given to weeping in public. “And I’m not a big crier. I don’t think you wanna see me cry, you know?” he told the crowd at a rally in Marietta, according to Irish Star.
“There are some people they do very well when they cry, but you don’t wanna see me cry. But I may be crying when I’ll be sitting home, and I’ll say, I told them they got to really terminate the filibuster,” he added.
Changing the rules
To pass the bill, Senate Republicans need 60 votes, but they currently hold 53 seats. Trump urged lawmakers to scrap the long-standing filibuster rule entirely so a simple majority can push the legislation through.
He specifically pointed his finger at Senate Republican Leader John Thune of South Dakota. He urged the rally crowd to dial up the senator’s office directly to demand action on mandatory voter ID and restrictions on mail-in ballots.
However, Thune has already warned the president that the votes simply are not there.
Shutting down Washington
Democrats remain completely opposed to the measure. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made that position abundantly clear in a blunt public statement.
“The SAVE Act ain’t passing. It ain’t passing in the Senate, it ain’t passing with Democrats, and it ain’t passing in the courts. It’s not happening, so give up on that,” Schumer said, according to Irish Star.
The confrontation could spark a major funding crisis later this year. Trump has threatened to force a government shutdown in September if Senate leaders do not eliminate the filibuster.
Schumer responded by accusing him of being willing to freeze federal operations just to get his way.
Sources: Irish Star
