The time to get in Alabama's face was years ago

[stopdiggin]

3. wish I could do more

Nice piece. Totally agree. Disenfranchise and voter suppression have been a favorite (and ugly) tactic for some time now. And Democrats are and HAVE been speaking out on it. This is the "new Jim Crow" and that's exactly what our candidates are saying. Sadly, any realistic redress or relief for this nasty undemocratic trend looks to come primarily from the state level. Those of us that don't vote in AL (or other afflicted areas) don't really have a lot of cards to play. I'm afraid even a vigilant executive and a sympathetic (?) judiciary can only provide a modest amount of correction. The courts in particular have been very reluctant to wade into political waters. And given where we are at now, I doubt that will change anytime soon. In the end, it seems the voters of AL must (somehow) gain control of their statehouse .. where these awful legislative schemes are enacted. That is the only realistic solution.

I don't say this unfeelingly. I DO think what what is occurring is undemocratic, and in some ways criminal. Voter suppression SHOULD be a source of public shame. But the only power I have here (beyond that of the pen) are the names that I check off on MY ballot come election time. And, sadly, that ain't changing much in AL.