Thought on the Supreme Court decision of yesterday (re: VRA). I think it was the reasonable decision, but the real world ramifications are going to be very bad indeed.
What I mean by that, is that the pre-clearance requirement should have somehow been expanded, and some new formula enacted that would allow for abuses all over the nation to be addressed, not just these particular states.
As it is the likely future is that gerrymandering (which i think should be outlawed) will continue, polarization will increase, barriers will be put in the way of people exercising the right to vote and our political system will likewise increase and the means to combat it outside of pre-clearance are practically speaking outside the hands of those who need them.
My hope would be that this would prompt either a revision of section 4, with Congress actually functioning and either accepting the invitation of the SCOTUS on two occasions (2009 and yesterday) or calling their bluff (depending on your perspective) and revising the formula for what jurisdictions need pre-clearance based upon what is happening today–and there’s more than enough voter obstruction happening all over the country to be combatted.
Alternatively, a Voting Rights Ammendment would be good… but has even less chance of actually happening.
So… get ready for a side show, a lot of abuse masquerading as modernisation or just politics, and zealously guard your rights and the rights of ALL your neighbors…
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