Texas Defends Voting Laws: "We Don't Want Democrats To Vote"

[Triana]

. . . mere hours after the Supreme Court struck down Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, Texas wasted no more time and re-instituted the same redistricting plan the courts had already ruled as unconstitutional. The same with their new voter suppression bill. Attorney General Holder was having none of it, however. Texas was the first lawsuit to be filed by the Justice Department under Section 2 of the Voting Right Act.

And now Texas is presenting its defense. It is using two main arguments. And boy, are they doozies. First, says Attorney General Greg Abbott, the redistricting is not about race. Oh no. It's about not allowing DEMOCRATS to vote. White Democrats too.

From their brief:

DOJ’s accusations of racial discrimination are baseless. In 2011, both houses of the Texas Legislature were controlled by large Republican majorities, and their redistricting decisions were designed to increase the Republican Party’s electoral prospects at the expense of the Democrats....The redistricting decisions of which DOJ complains were motivated by partisan rather than racial considerations, and the plaintiffs and DOJ have zero evidence to prove the contrary. It is perfectly constitutional for a Republican-controlled legislature to make partisan districting decisions, even if there are incidental effects on minority voters who support Democratic candidates.

Translation:
"So, basically, we just want to fuck over all Democrats, and if the Black and Brown people are also hurt, well, they shouldn't vote for Democrats, should they? It's only collateral damage"

You know, having them actually come right out and say it--that they don't want Democrats to vote--is somehow not surprising. But it's good that they're doing it at last.

THE REST:

http://m.dailykos.com/story/2013/08/13/1230932/-Texas-Defends-Voting-Laws-We-Don-t-Want-Democrats-To-Vote?detail=facebook

[raccoon]

1. I was sure this was the Onion....rec'd. nt

[mick063]

2. Gerrymandering is a weak earthen dam

It can only hold the water back for a limited time. While in place, the dam requires vigilant maintenance. When the dam inevitably breaks, the political landscape will be wiped out.