June 23rd, 2013
08:17 AM ET
10 years ago
Justices to rule soon on divisive voting rights case
Columbiana, Alabama (CNN) - Shelby County is booming. The Birmingham suburb is lined with strip malls, subdivisions, and small factories, in what was once sleepy farmland. The population has grown fivefold since 1970 to about 200,000. Change is afoot in this bedroom community, at least on the surface.
But the federal government thinks an underlying threat of discrimination remains throughout Alabama and other parts of the country in perhaps the most hard-fought franchise in the Constitution: the right to vote.
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Um, yes,
It is absurd when a balck Alabama Congressman, who seconded Obama's First Nomination became disgruntled with Obama and switched to a Republician. It is even more absurd whae a black state legislator from Lousiana changes to a Republician. Not real sure there is a problem with voting rights in Alabama or even Massachuttis for that matter.
This is the real problem with us thinking so idiotic because we are saying Republicans, democrats–none of us are saying we are Americans–shame!! Very Pathetic. What did Bush, Cheney do for that matter sent this nation to Doldrums and big mess and hole as big ad wiamia crater!!!!
@rayE (GA). You don't think there's a voting rights problem in Alabama or even Massachusetts?
What do you call, in NC, throwing away voting applications of Democrats? How about Gerrymandering districts so that rethug house reps can keep or take over seats? How about just plain buying the elections where rove almost had a heart attack on faux news because he couldn't believe that all those billions were wasted on the twit? How about the billboards scaring people not to vote? The long lines or shorter days/hours in critical states (and some not as critical) to make sure people didn't have time to vote during the week or had to spend 7-8 hours standing in line and they did?
Those voting rights???
I do agree with you that any Blacks, gays, seniors, women or veterans who stay with or go to the rethug party after everything they have said and not done for them are nuts!
Here`s a news flash. Not all black people embrace solidarity with their brethern regarding the racial injustices STILL perpetrated to this day. [of which Trayvon Martin`s murder is an undeniable, highly visible example . . . but there are other`s occurng daily which are less notorious]. The black Alabama senator you speak of fails in that category. There are some blacks who subcontiously embrace stereo-typing African Americans too and they are as misguided and racist as SOME white people. [Clarence Thomas comes to mind.]
Look, these Texas & Alabama cases are the result of a concerted effort by a man in MAINE backed by a secretive Republican trust fund whose sole purpose is to attack the VRA & AA. They didn`t just happen. They were manufactured. That fact gives me concern enough that I want to see the pendulum swing back the otherway.
Liberals, Moderates and Independents have to see that the court has been hijacked by corporate interests [Citizens United] and idealogical Republicans activists [look at how many 5-4 rulings we`ve had]. American voters are not Republican by a margin of 5 to 4.
Democrats must control the Whitehouse for the next 11 years. [Thomas & Scalia will fall off during that period.] They must be as committed to this as this man from Maine has been to attacking the VRA. Democrats stay united.
The Obama administration is the most criminal administration since Lincoln, bar none.
Ray E. – You'd think that with all the idiotic comments you make, you'd have run out by now.
The GOP has to stop their voter supresion if they ever want to win another election.
he only did it because they told him to, no black man with brain will ever say what this fool said, a year from now we will be hearing about his jail time,
They need to uphold this law...Striking it down will only cause the republican controlled states to pull their voter disenfranchisement tactics they tried to pull in the last couple of elections.
Ray-
And your point is? So two Black politicians change sides. That doesn't change that about 96% of Blacks vote Democratic. Until the GOP changes, it will never get a majority of Black (or minority, or Hispanic, or Women, or Young) voters again.
GOP Voting laws are disenfranchisement, it's that simple. Who supports a party that seeks to take away their rights?
The truth is the GOP is dying. They can only win elections by restricting the votes of the poor, minorities and the young- and they have passed laws to make that happen. They can only win by Gerrymandering Congressional Districts (the REAL reason they wanted to win in 2010).
Kick the props out from under them and they are the Know-Nothings of the last century.
People shouldn't vote for a party that seeks to restrict their voting rights!