these kinds of statements from Republicans cannot be used to overturn these laws.

to vote doesn't meet the criteria for prosecution?

These things are not just comments at a convention or in an interview; they are the arguments he is making in defense of these laws in court pleadings. The proper judicial response to 'I didn't mean it, it just turned out that way, like I was sure it would' is 'R-r-r-right --- judgment for the plaintiff."

To us it is pretty obvious that they intended to go after minorities and women, I just wonder if they can get away with it by using the partisan advantage excuse for why they did so. It is also probable that the Supreme Court realized these cases were bound to occur. Interesting days we have.

They are effectively saying, "these people, who were not committing fraud and had a legal right to vote voted against us, so they shouldn't be allowed to vote." That's no more legal than racial discrimination.

talking and being recorded for future court proceedings.

the majority on the court agree with those statements.

Foxes guarding the hen coop ....KKK overseeing the civil rights of Americans.

since he was a pup in the reagan administration. that court is a sham

every time i hear or see his name, i have a vision of slapping the shit out of him

It's only illegal if it affects minorities. I guess they didn't consider political party part of your civil rights. That's why so many of these arguments turn towards race. We must prove they were trying to discriminate racially. I hope an attorney or election official explains it to us.

States are mandated to draw the lines of voting districts, so it's expectable that they might do it in a way that favors the party in control. But no state is mandated to enact voter ID laws. There's very little actual justification for them and a strong presumption that their primary intention is to remove certain voters from the roles. (Go back to c. 2002-03 and check out the history of HAVA and ACVR and John Fund and Bob Ney's Congressional hearings if you doubt this.)

In fact, it's very hard to imagine any way voter ID laws could be crafted in a way to preferentially disenfranchise Republicans. They're always going to be biased against the young, the old, women, and minorities.

I don't know how the Supreme Court would look at it -- but this certainly seems like a basis for arguing that the gerrymandering decision doesn't apply.

nt.

and the wife has Stockholm syndrome.

Daily Show story

We would not want to misinterpret your words, you old rebel you!

I hope enough Texans see through the bullshit and elect Wendy Davis instead. We have had enough of these conservative criminals as the face and voice of our state.

Voter suppression Lies Squarely in the laps of S.C.O.T.U.S. Between this and Citizens United That is one piss poor Legacy.

Surely this alone is enough to pursue these bastards legally, not to mention the idiot from N. Carolina on the Daily Show the other night and his racist confession about voter suppression.

The DOJ is challenging Texas over this. I think this may end up back with SCOTUS.

And welcome to DU!

on edit: Oh, I see you have been here a while. Welcome back.

Frankly, I believe Abbott when he says the redistricting decisions were for partisan considerations. Most minorities vote for Democrats and therefore Republicans have an interest in diminishing their power at the ballot box. Of course, the of the reasons that blacks and Latinos vote for for Democrats is because the Republicans have pursued racially divisive politics for the last half century.

Sorry, Mr. Abbott, but you can't convince me this isn't about the GOP appealing to racism. When does the Republican Party put an apology in the party platform in 2014 for abolishing slavery? Are you going to propose one?

environment of voter suppression, racism, and big money corruption in our political landscape through their conservative activism.
We find new examples day after fucking day to prove it.

I think we should immediately impeach Roberts and as soon as that is done, go for Scalia, Thomas, and Alito till they are exposed for the actual corrupt tyrants they are. Day after day of headlines pointing out the truth is the only way to make people aware of just how destructive these pricks are.

They are the biggest threat in the world to our democracy.

Is what has always been needed. I've not been particularly happy with our joke of a primary system either. That's the reason I left Texas. The people voted in Ms Clinton but the late night caucuses reversed us. I voted and am behind our president buy I voted for the senator in the primary.

Greg Abbott is only playing catch up right now!

I used to practice law with Greg in the 1980s. He is not that smart as shown by his success rate in federal court suing the Obama administration. There was solid evidence of racial gerrymandering in the prior court proceeding and the opinion reflected the fact that the Federal Court did not buy Greg's bullshit. A panel of the District of Columbia Circuit found in the case of The State of Texas v United States of America and Eric Holder, Civil Action No. 11-1303 (TBG-RMC-BAH), August 28, 2012 (herein referred to as Texas v. Holder) that the redistricting boundaries in Texas were drawn by the Texas Republican controlled state legislature with an intent to discriminate on racial basis. On page 42 of the opinion, the court found that with respect to the Congressional plan:

”….we are also persuaded by the total of the evidence that the plan was enacted with discriminatory intent.”

We conclude that Texas has not shown that the Senate Plan was enacted without discriminatory intent. Senator Davis and the other Intervenors provided credible circumstantial evidence of the type called for by the Supreme Court in Arlington Heights, which, as a whole, indicate that an improper motive may have played a role in the map-drawing process….

That Texas did not, and now fails to respond to the parties’ evidence of discriminatory intent, compels us to conclude that the Senate Plan was enacted with discriminatory intent as to SD 10.”

“This and other record evident may support a finding of discriminatory purpose in enacting the State House Plan. Although we need not reach this issue, at minimum, the full record strongly suggests that the retrogression effect we found may not have been accidental.”

Ignoring the absurdity of the Republican position for a moment: if Repubs think the only reason people vote for Democrats is to "get free stuff," then why do other people vote for Republicans?

Think about it. In the Repub view of the world, a Dem voter is sitting around on election day thinking, "I want free stuff, so I'm voting for the Democrat!" Clearly, this particular Dem voter is expecting his vote to result in something that benefits him personally.

But how do Republicans explain a Republican voter sitting around on election day? What is this Republican telling himself? "I want ___________, so I'm voting Republican!" Honestly, what can you fill that blank in with? It's easy to identify stuff that they they are voting AGAINST -- but what are they voting FOR? What's the personal benefit to themselves or their family and community that they might expect? (And I'm talking about run-of-the-mill Repubs, not rich-ass elitists who expect and receive tax breaks and other perks at our expense.)

==========================

and get voters registered, get them IDs, and turn them out to vote. No excuses.

I hope the courts strike down this voter suppressing law. And it is a poll tax when you have to pay for the new ID if your old one isn't good enough.

that they are cheats. They admit that they cannot win without controlling who is able to vote in certain areas....and some in any areas. They are not real Americans ( I do not care where they were born) and I cannot believe we tolerate them. Who the HELL votes for these people??????? I forgot....the ignorant, the ignorant racists, (because all racists are ignorant, but not all those who are ignorant are racist) those who benefit financially.....Who did I forget????

our household we can that being childish.

I sincerely learn from you.