Tuesday, June 04, 2013
Supreme Court will rule on Voting Rights Act—video by Greg Palast on why it is still necessary
by Larry Geller
This month—as early as tomorrow—the Supreme Court is expected to rule on a challenge to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. §§ 1973–1973aa-6). The section of the Act in question, if ruled unconstitutional, would gut the federal government’s ability to enforce the Act. Section 5 requires that the states with histories of Jim Crow voting restrictions must obtain approval from the Department of Justice before enforcing any changes in their voting laws.
How will the conservative Supreme Court rule? Who knows. They could give the former Confederate states what they are asking for—relief from any effective federal oversight.
For a good account of why we still need the Voting Rights Act and what tactics have been used to disenfranchise voters in this, supposedly the greatest democracy on earth, check out this video by investigative reporter Greg Palast, originally posted in February, 2013.
(click the thingy at the lower right for full screen)
An voting rights amendment to the US Constitution could fix this. With voter suppression efforts in high gear this might be our only alternative. Hard to fathom we are talking about America
: June 5, 2013 at 11:21:00 AM HST << Home
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