A divided federal appellate panel took a pipe to the knees of the Voting Rights Act Monday, handing down an eyebrow-raising decision that would severely curtail the effectiveness of the landmark civil rights law.
The one “upside” to all these ideological Trump judges seems to be that they try to run roughshod over established precedent to such an extent that it’s too iffy for even the likes of Roberts to swallow.
This is kind of becoming a little nuts. No individual right of action under the voting rights act? Then who’s going to enforce it, people elected by gerrymandered districts?! The Colorado court (Judge), probably well-intentioned, rules that the presidency is not an “office” of the United States and thus the president is not covered by the 14th amendment’s insurrection clause. Just jaw-droppingly ludicrous.
The obvious answer is to reelect the president, take back the house, and gain a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate (or just do away with the filibuster). While I understand that the constitution and Bill of Rights contain counter majoritarian principles in order to protect minorities from the tyranny of the majority, the minority is now the tyrant by use of the unelected federal court system and gerrymandered congressional districts. It’s time for the genuinely moral, and ethical, majority to re-exert control
Simply stated, voters and voting rights groups should have an unquestioned right to sue to defend the right to vote. How dare the courts try to limit it! How is the right to vote subordinate to, say, freedom of speech, or the right of the people to seek redress? Clearly these rights are closely related and they are central to our history and tradition of self-government.
The question has never been asked - why do you oppose remedies that would ensure all citizens had equal access to the ballot box? If your state is doing nothing to undermine voting for certain groups, why do you find federal guidelines so onerous?
“. . . ruled that individuals can no longer bring lawsuits under the VRA.”
So much for that last bit of the First Amendment of the US Constitution:
“The First Amendment provides that Congress make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting its free exercise. It protects freedom of speech, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
“There are many reasons to doubt the legislative record…” does not include ignoring in its entirety the history of the law, and how and why it was enacted though. Or is there something new afoot in modern US jurisprudence that permits dislike and fantasy to rule the roost?
Please do not resort to logic with those people. They do not deem themselves to be bound by it, nor do they respect it. It only makes them more angry, when they see logic being employed in a way that they perceive as not benefitting them personally.
“While I understand that the constitution and Bill of Rights contain counter majoritarian principles in order to protect minorities from the tyranny of the majority, the minority is now the tyrant by use of the unelected federal court system and gerrymandered congressional districts. It’s time for the genuinely moral, and ethical, majority to re-exert control.”
Here is an example of something that actually is “the actual truth.” Too bad that this point is beyond the ability of Elon Musk to grasp or comprehend, and is contrary to his fascist values.