Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) laid down on MS NOW Thursday why he opposes a proposed Republican bill that would put draconian new restrictions on voting, including a requirement to produce proof-of-citizenship documents to register to vote — something that goes drastically beyond even most GOP-controlled state's voter ID laws, and could prevent some 21 million eligible people from voting, including married women with name changes.
Schumer noted that his defiance, and the particular language he used to shoot down the bill, has infuriated MAGA activists — and he refuses to apologize for it.
"So, Leader Schumer, thistalk about election securityhas revived discussions of the SAVE Act, which you have saidyou oppose," said anchor Jonathan Lemire. "Proponents of itsay that it's, you know, tohave ID, you have to prove U.S.citizenship to be able to vote.Some of the claims they make,to be clear, are overstated. Weknow there's not widespreadelection fraud, but pollingdoes suggest, there's a new Pew Research poll that 95 percent of Republicans, but also 71 percent of Democrats, like this idea. Sowhy do you not?"
"It's Jim Crow 2.0," said Schumer. "And Icalled it Jim Crow 2.0, and theright wing went nuts all overthe internet. That's because they know it's true."
"Whatthey're trying to do here isthe same thing that was done inthe South for decades, toprevent people of color fromvoting, for instance," Schumer continued. "If youcan't, if you change, you're awoman who got married andchanged your last name. Youwon't be able to show ID andyou'll be discriminated against.if you can't find a birthcertificate or a proper ID,you'll be discriminated against."
"This is vicious and nasty," he added. "AndI said to our Republicancolleagues, it will not passthe Senate. You will not get asingle Democratic vote in theSenate. We're not reviving JimCrow all over the country. Andwhen the American people hearwhat exactly it is doing andwhat its intent is doing,they're going to be against itas well."