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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMcConnell asks the Supreme Court to obliterate the Voting Rights Act
https://popular.info/p/mcconnell-asks-the-supreme-court?tokenThere is an avalanche of new voting restrictions being imposed by Republican legislators across the country. When Popular Information covered this issue in February, the Brennan Center had identified 165 bills to restrict voting rights across 33 states. Less than a month later, the group has identified 253 bills to restrict voting rights in 43 states. These bills would impose a variety of measures to make voting harder, including reducing opportunities for early voting, limiting the use of mail-in ballots, eliminating drop boxes, and imposing new voter ID requirements.
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On Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hear a new case that could dismantle what's left of the law. The case, Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee, concerns an Arizona law passed in 2016. The law required that ballots cast in the wrong precinct be thrown out entirely even if the votes for statewide candidates were perfectly valid. It also prohibited anyone other than an immediate family member or caretaker from helping someone return an absentee ballot.
The Democratic Party sued, arguing that the policies resulted in discrimination. Specifically, "Latino, Native American, and Black voters in Arizona have their ballots rejected for being out-of-precinct reason far more often than their white counterparts." The party argued this was "because poll locations were moved around very frequently in Arizonas communities of color." The Democratic Party noted also noted that Native Americans residing on reservations needed more assistance returning their ballots because they "often reside far from polling places and have nontraditional addresses and limited mail access.
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In an amicus brief submitted to the court, McConnell, Cruz, and eight other Republican Senators lay out a vision where states can restrict the time, place, and manner of voting in whatever way they want regardless of the impact it has on minority communities.
Yet Respondents urge, and the Ninth Circuit below adopted, an interpretation of VRA §2 that jeopardizes legitimate voting laws across the country. The Ninth Circuit held that any neutral voting law results in an unequal opportunity to vote on account of race or color whenever a plaintiff identifies some minimal statistical racial disparity related to the lawand then points to completely separate, long past, invidious voting discrimination Nevertheless, the Ninth Circuits VRA §2 interpretation would eviscerate scores of legitimate time, place, and manner voting laws that prevent and deter fraud.
In other words, McConnell and Cruz want to allow states to have free reign to change the "time, place, and manner" of voting, even if those changes have a disparate impact on minority voters. They claim that such changes "prevent and deter fraud" but, like Trump, present no evidence to justify that claim.
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Iliyah
(25,111 posts)when first we practice to deceive."
mitch96
(15,321 posts)Omnipresent
(6,990 posts)Last edited Tue Mar 2, 2021, 09:45 AM - Edit history (1)
Republicans would be saying, Why cant the democrats win elections without trying to disenfranchise voters by throwing them off the voting rolls?.
Message to republicans:
When you stoop to changing election laws, you and your ideology, become a losing combination!
malaise
(286,363 posts)That is all
yaesu
(8,622 posts)suicide as far as our parties future is concerned, we need to be bold and get things done!!!
Buckeyeblue
(5,959 posts)And yet, the right to vote is barely mentioned in the constitution. But there are 2 amendments that deal with voting.
Klondike Kat
(893 posts)He is the most loathsome reprobate in a gang of degenerates.
A pox on his house!
An now I'll go and ask God's forgiveness for what I just typed.
Autumn
(48,140 posts)Hoochie Coochie Man
(443 posts)This is racism and fascism. If the SCOTUS goes down this road, give Puerto Rico and DC Statehood, add 4 Senators to the D column, expand the court and impeach and undo it .
ananda
(32,556 posts)I feel so doomy about the vote right now.
It needs to be made secure STAT!
kacekwl
(8,456 posts)and stop wasting time on unity efforts. These guys don't want democracy they don't want fair voting/elections. If some ridiculous talking heads want to know why, this story along with countless others need to be cited. This fascist legislation by republicans has to stop.
JohnnyRingo
(20,034 posts)This what we get when we allow state governments to write their own election laws. Some states will plot to prevent minorities from voting.
I expect a flurry of rules that exclude felons and welfare recipients in republican led states. Trump specifically mentioned both groups being allowed to vote as disgusting.
KS Toronado
(21,058 posts)Or at the very least ANYONE for any reason can request and receive a mail-in ballot.
Tommymac
(7,334 posts)and that is really ugly.
Sad to see how many truly evil people exist in this world.
And even sadder to see the number of stupids that blindly follow them.
FlyingPiggy
(3,746 posts)Increase SCOTUS, push through the voting rights act, and take out everything that facilitates a fascist regime.
dajoki
(10,685 posts)EndlessWire
(7,969 posts)Why are they getting elected over and over?
We will have to fight these people forever. It seems to me that the plan is to change the laws such that they can win in a way that, although appearing lawful on the surface, just screws everybody out of their civil rights.
What do these people see when they look in the mirror each day? Do they see themselves as patriots?? They are evil.
We can still GOTV. But, for the next four years, they will be working to fix things so only their side can vote. We have to be willing to fight them in court to the nth degree. At least we know what they are doing. Fighting to stay calm about it.
1) GOTV
2) Fund the various groups fighting in media to enlighten everyone.
3) Shun Repubs (you can pat them on the back while they arrange to screw you out of your vote -- I won't)
4) Keep stocking up to sustain yourselves in case something happens
5) Support the legally elected President and Vice President
6) Keep doing the pandemic masking, handwashing, and social distancing that will be required for awhile -- let Repubs expose themselves if they want. You know why.
budkin
(6,849 posts)Which means KILL THE FILIBUSTER!