The Battle of the Bills: the Donkeys Strike Back

We seem to be in a congressional version of dueling banjos. First, the Republicans in the House introduced legislation that they knew would never pass in the Senate. Thursday, the Democrats filed a resolution that they know will never be approved by Republicans. This isn’t what it’s going to be like for the next two years, is it? I mean any noble intentions aside, that kind of thing can get old in a hurry.

On Thursday, Democrats introduced House Joint Resolution 16. The upshot is that it will lower the voting across the nation to the age of 16. No pun intended, I’m sure. Of course, you know that the current age is 18, as set forth by the 26th amendment. The resolution would change that amendment. Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) introduced the resolution. According to the Daily Caller, it was co-sponsored by Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), Sean Casten (D-Ill.), Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), Barbara Lee (D-Texas), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), and Alexandria-Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), among others. In 2019, Pressley sponsored similar legislation in her “For The People Act,” which tanked 126-305.

Nancy Pelosi told the Daily Caller at the time, “I myself, personally, I’m not speaking for my caucus, I myself have always been for lowering the voting age to 16. I think it’s really important to capture kids when they’re in high school when they’re interested in all of this when they’re learning about government to be able to vote.”

And there you have it: “it’s really important to capture kids when they’re in high school.” Nancy, your Freudian slip is showing. Of course, capture them while they’re young, impulsive, immature, and driven by hormones. Capture them while they are in a life stage of never-ending drama and will slam the doors of their rooms and fume for hours on end about something they won’t remember the next day. Capture them while they are still impressionable and are young enough to think they know everything.

Actually, it’s kind of a smart move.

So while this bill will never pass a GOP house, and it is kind of fun to watch our representatives trade legislative punches, remember that one day, the donkeys will have both houses. And much like acid reflux, this idea will be back.