(Today's case would not have happened without the Voting Rights Act. Matt does a good job at pointing out the connections and why we must fight Texas Republicans that stand in the way of getting the VRA renewed. - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
Hours ago, the Unites States Supreme Court released their ruling in the Texas Redistricting case. It was a strong statement in support of hundreds of thousands of voters in the most diverse parts of the state.
In a time where less Texans are insured, education is failing, and the culture of corruption is sweeping our nation, it is troubling to have the court rule FOR an incumbent protection plan. With no test in place and no restrictions, state legislatures can legally choose to ignore the plight of children and seniors, teachers and doctors, veterans and first responders, and waste time by constantly changing the boundaries of a political district.
The High Court made it clear that political gerrymandering is legal and acceptable as long as voters have their rights protected. The court was troubled by the simple fact that in Congressional District 23 over 100,000 Latino voters were thrown into a new district to protect the incumbent Republican and weaken the voting power of the minority.
Currently the Voting Rights Act (VRA) is in jeopardy and the House of Representatives has refused to protect the civil rights of every American.
I thought that was the only way we'd ever get the local Austin paper to cover my Congressional race - if we could prove that my opponent, the incumbent Republican Congressman, John Carter was an alien. Nope, turns out he's only been marooned on Mars - and that was exposed by a Houston paper first.
So does that make him an illegal alien? ah, sweet irony... But I digress.
(Our second round of summer writers will be annouced this coming Monday. You will probably recognize a few names... - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
In a move that is so stupid it has to include Texas GOP lawmakers, the vote on renewing the Voting Rights Act was put on hold Wednesday. The Voting Rights Act, a landmark piece of legislation that helped outlaw literacy tests, provided for federal registration of voters in areas that had less than 50% of eligible minority voters registered, and also provided for Department of Justince oversight to registration, and the Department's approval for any change in voting law in districts whose populations were at least 5% Black.
According to the Houston Chronicle, " A bill to extend the law for 25 years has support from the White House, top legislative leaders of both parties and a key, GOP-controlled committee that passed it 33 to 1." So let's get this straight. The bill has bipartisan support and received almost no friction in the committee. The legislation simply renews a bill which was passed 25 years ago and is now thought of in such a reverant light that is had resolutions commending the anniversary.
So how did this all go so wrong? In walk the Republican Congressmen from Texas. "I don't think we have racial bias in Texas anymore," said Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock.
