Texas seeks to challenge Voting Rights Act

[Kthulhut Fhtagn]

(AP) AUSTIN, Texas - Texas on Wednesday asked a federal panel weighing its photo ID requirement for voters to allow its attorneys to challenge the constitutionality of a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, taking a direct shot at the statue that has blocked the state from enforcing tightened voter requirements.

In a filing to a three-judge panel in Washington, Texas asked to submit a petition charging that Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act "exceeds the enumerated powers of Congress and conflicts with Article IV of the Constitution and the Tenth Amendment."

As a state with a history of voter discrimination, Texas is required under that section of the Voting Rights Act to get advance approval of voting changes from either the Justice Department or the U.S. District Court in Washington.

The provision dates from 1965, but was upheld in 2006 after Congress found that discrimination still exists in the areas where it was historically a problem.

On Monday, the Justice Department declared that Texas' photo ID rule could disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of registered Hispanics statewide — its latest move against Republican-led voting changes in many states that have drawn protests from minorities, poor people and students.

The Justice Department's objection sent the case to the federal panel that is now deciding whether Texas, as well as South Carolina, will be allowed to enforce new voter photo ID requirements. It also has resulted in the Texas law being blocked until the court rules.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57397738/texas-seeks-to-challenge-voting-rights-act/"]Source

In the meantime, can someone explain to me what the conservative paranoia over voter fraud is all about? I won't claim to be an expert on the subject, but absolutely nothing has led me to believe voter fraud is a serious problem in this country.

 

[A'isha]

I won't claim to be an expert on the subject, but absolutely nothing has led me to believe voter fraud is a serious problem in this country.

This guy says that's because it's not any kind of problem at all. And he is an expert.

 

[Upchurch]

In the meantime, can someone explain to me what the conservative paranoia over voter fraud is all about?

I can't imagine.

 

[Kid Eager]

I can't imagine.

I love reading this forum, especially when I learn something new and unexpected.

Now that I understand that conservatives have been proven by science to be evolutionary throwbacks, I'll be a little more gentle with them in future.

 

[fishbob]

2 questions:

Who do you suppose has the biggest amygdala?

Could it be measured by transvaginal ultrasound?

Would not paying for the procedures themselves make them sluts?

 

[Upchurch]

Now that I understand that conservatives have been proven by science to be evolutionary throwbacks, I'll be a little more gentle with them in future.

it's not a throwback. It's either successful or it isn't.

 

[Tony]

As a Texan, I hope Texas loses. The right-wing wackos that run this state need to be checked.

 

[Kid Eager]

it's not a throwback. It's either successful or it isn't.

I guess we'll have to wait until the next election then....

 

[Alareth]

In the meantime, can someone explain to me what the conservative paranoia over voter fraud is all about? I won't claim to be an expert on the subject, but absolutely nothing has led me to believe voter fraud is a serious problem in this country.

Preventing voter fraud is a smokescreen. The majority of the people who are affected by and disenfranchised by these law traditionally vote Democrat.

 

[defaultdotxbe]

In the meantime, can someone explain to me what the conservative paranoia over voter fraud is all about? I won't claim to be an expert on the subject, but absolutely nothing has led me to believe voter fraud is a serious problem in this country.

In the country as a whole? no

In some parts of the country? yes, although I think the problems caused by requiring photo ID outweigh the problems caused by the fraud




BTW I live in Chicago, so maybe I'm biased on the fraud thing

 

[Travis]

I've never been required to show ID when I vote in California. Surprisingly the polling place isn't overrun with no good teenagers putting in Leroy Jenkins as a write in candidate. Instead it is just filled with old people talking much too loudly about how they are doing their part to stop baby murder or the perverted homosexuals or whatever.

I always wonder why they don't throw those loud mouths out?

 

[Beerina]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57397738/texas-seeks-to-challenge-voting-rights-act/"]Source

In the meantime, can someone explain to me what the conservative paranoia over voter fraud is all about? I won't claim to be an expert on the subject, but absolutely nothing has led me to believe voter fraud is a serious problem in this country.

It's an interesting study in truth vs. actual reasons people want certain laws.

With a straight face, Texas is claiming there is pervasive fraud, so they want picture IDs. The other side is claiming this is vastly overstated, and that Texas really wants to do it to hassle legitimate voters, keeping them from voting.

If there is such pervasive fraud, Texas should be able to demonstrate so to satisfy federal requirements that are lain on top of states, and only those states, known and proven to have a history to conjure up impediments to voting based on saying one thing, but with the real goal of intimidation.

 

[Arisia]

Some group was trying to get signatures in support of getting some kind of voter ID initiative on the 2012 ballot here in MA... they really shouldn't have chosen a supermarket in a town like Milford, with a sizable immigrant population. They would have done much better in my town, Hopkinton, being a bit of a Republican enclave.