You think the damage done to the Voting Rights Act is going to help us?

[CreekDog]

Following VRA Ruling, Perry Signs New Texas Congressional Map Into Law

TOM KLUDT 6:32 AM EDT, THURSDAY JUNE 27, 2013


Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) on Wednesday signed a new congressional district for the state into law, a move that would have required federal approval prior to the Supreme Court's ruling on the Voting Rights Act (VRA).

Perry's action, confirmed by an aide to Roll Call, was a day removed from the Supreme Court's decision to gut Section 5 from the landmark 1965 civil rights law. Prior to the court's ruling, Section 5 required Texas — as well as other states with a history of racial discrimination — to clear any changes to its voting laws, including redistricting, with the federal government.

Texas Republicans attempted to pass an even more advantageous map last year, but a federal court struck it down, citing Section 5 of the 1965 law. Another federal court subsequently ordered them to pass an interim map and, last month, Perry called a special session to pass the interim map. Legislators passed the map this week.

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/following-vra-ruling-perry-signs-new-texas-congressional?ref=fpb

The Voting Rights Act stopped this from happening, until some of its most important provisions were gutted.

Anyone who thinks this will help us by galvanizing our voters is ignoring whether harsh voter ID laws and discriminatory redistricting will let our voters actually make a difference.

[Democracyinkind]

1. I wonder about this reasoning too.

This in a country that let a president be selected, rather than elected, and let him steal the next election outright. A country which has been neglecting serious documented allegations of voting fraud for decades now.

Why do people expect a revolution on this issue now?

[rhett o rick]

11. And a country where war criminals get to laugh and scratch on The View.

We are getting to, or have gotten to, a point where massive civil dis obedience will be needed, if not out right rev ol ution. We have passed the tipping point of convincing our "elected" (read "bought and paid for&quot representatives to turn things around.

NSA disclaimer - Nothing in this post is intended to indicate that the poster does or does not condone or indorse any kind of actions, legal or illegal, that may appear to be contrary to the wishes of our glorious authoritarian leaders. Dog bless the Cabal.

[Skidmore]

2. I think it will hurt unless something comes out of Congress to

improve or replace it. I'm not counting on the House being on board with doing anything since the Teabaggers call the agenda. I think efforts should be put toward firming up the coalitions of minorities, women, and the LGBTQ communities. We need to hang together more than ever and to follow through at local and state level to with candidate selection and GOTV.

[AndyA]

3. I hope the Justice Department stays on top of this

I do think this will make minorities angry, and will likely GOTV--hopefully. My concern is many will just give up, thinking it won't do any good to vote, and that no matter who they vote for the deck is stacked against them.

Best case scenario: Minorities get angry, get organized, and show up in unprecedented numbers. Voting is a basic right in this country, the GOP has no grounds to screw around with it. I hope the actions of the Republican Party on this, women's rights issues, and all the other things they're trying to take away is ultimately their undoing. I hope their actions result in them being the minority party for many years to come.

[gateley]

4. I'm surprised anyone would think this could help us.

Even before the ruling, the Republicans were pretty damn successful in re-districting and disenfranchising. I'm heartbroken over this ruling -- and scared.

[uponit7771]

5. Only if the DNC makes an issue of GOP taking away AMERICANS votes, if they don't then yes

...it will hurt and hurt bad

[NYC_SKP]

6. Eventually, the RW will fail under the weight of their own stupidity.

And the fact that our numbers will crush them.

Bill Moyers was on Colbert last night and said as much.

[Bryn]

8. I hope so!

This would be great. Driving GOP over the cliff in 2014 and 2016.

[byeya]

10. Tend to agree but our numbers won't crush them if our numbers aren't allowed to vote and won't

take to the streets.

[Bryn]

7. K&R This thread needs to be discussed

I do not fully understand the Supreme Court's ruling on the Voting Rights Act (VRA) means.

[geckosfeet]

9. Apparently a majority of the supreme court does.

Personally I think this was a complete failure of the court systems.

Who is it going to affect?

Here is a map.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/06/25/where-tuesdays-voting-rights-act-ruling-matters-in-one-map/

[Bryn]

12. Thanks for the link

Many comments are interesting.

History of Republican Party and Democratic Party is weird. In the past Republicans used to be Liberal and Democrats used to be racist and religious & were mostly in the South. Now the parties have switched. Confusing, isn't it?

[geckosfeet]

13. Times change. Neither party existed in the early history of the country. Where it hurts dems

is when the repugs dredge up the past and use it scare people to vote repug in the south. Which you can see they do.

[Enthusiast]

14. This decision is going to have as negative an effect as Citizens United.

Something has to be done.

[justiceischeap]

15. The answer/solution to this problem is simple.

All the Federal gov't has to do is clear demand ALL redistricting goes through them. Isn't that the crux of the matter, that some states were being treated unevenly? Well, if the Fed looks at and approves all redistricting plans, then they can't claim it's being done unfairly.