I have been a bit slow to pick up on the arguments for overruling the Voting Rights Act. I always thought that voting was a right of every citizen and one that should be protected from acts of discrimination by the courts under constitutional grounds of equal protection.
Now I find that Shelby County Alabama wants to overturn a law passed by Congress and affirmed by 4 subsequent Congresses. The law is the Voting Rights Act.
And Shelby County's argument? That their sovereignty is harmed by this law.
In other words, Shelby County should be free to do whatever they want in regards to their conduct of elections. They want what I believe the constitution forbids and Congress has forbidden.
We will await a decision by the Supreme Court.
If I understand the issue it is this: certain states with a past history (1950s) of black voter suppression were under extra-judicial supervision at the federal level to ensure fairness. They now (2013) want to be relieved of the specific burdens which had been imposed. Seems reasonable but Liberals will start screaming about racism in 3 seconds. (3,2,...1)
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