Court Undermines Voting Rights Act

The 5-member right-wing majority of the Supreme Court today struck down the section of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that established a formula for determining whether States and local jurisdictions were engaged in discrimination in laws concerning voting.  The Court indicated that Congress needed to update the formula to make it contemporary with current voting patterns.   Without a determining formula, the Court effectively undermines the provision in the Voting Rights Act that requires States and local jurisdictions subject to the formula to "pre clear" any changes to their voting requirements with the Justice Department, such as changes in polling places, voter ID requirements, etc.

Clearly, the Court's right-wing majority intends that the obstructionist Rethugs in Congress will do absolutely nothing to update the law to restrict voter suppression measures against minority voters who vote overwhelmingly against them.  Along with Rethug obstruction on immigration reform, we're confident that the green light that the right-wing Court majority gave to voter suppression will mobilize the targets of their partisan war like never before.