Jones calls on Congress to "put some teeth" back in the Voting Rights Act

[brooklynite]

Source: CBS News

Sen. Doug Jones, the first Democrat to represent Alabama in the Senate in 25 years, urged his congressional colleagues to "put some teeth back" in the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965, saying he believes Republican lawmakers across the country are working to suppress African-American votes.

"You have to look at the state legislatures, governors and members of Congress that are Republicans," Jones said on "Face the Nation" Sunday. "For whatever reason they do not want African-Americans and other minorities to vote."

"Rather than trying to get those votes, they seem to want to restrict those votes," he added.

Last week, House and Senate Democrats introduced legislation to restore a provision of the Voting Rights Act struck down by the Supreme Court in the controversial Shelby County v. Holder ruling in 2013. That ruling required certain jurisdictions with a history of voter disenfranchisement to seek approval from the Justice Department before rolling out changes to their voting systems.


Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/doug-jones-on-face-the-nation-congress-should-put-some-teeth-back-in-the-voting-rights-act/

[bullwinkle428]

1. I'm glad he's recognizing those primarily responsible for putting him into office.

[Polybius]

2. He's great

I only hope the base will be energized when he runs for reelection.

[DFW]

8. Representing his constituents and the people who voted him into office.

How encouraging it is to see that the concept is still alive!

[fierywoman]

3. Yes yes please please please!

[BlueIdaho]

4. I hope that even our corrupt Supreme Court

Can be shamed into admitting their mistake siding with the White Supremacists.

[DFW]

9. THAT is the big question mark.

Will Roberts side with the Republican Party or with the Constitution?

[GulfCoast66]

5. When the Supreme Court limited the VR act they pretty much told the congress how to make valid.

Rather than treating states differently based on past history make it applicable to all States!

If we win back both houses and the White House it should be our first bill.

[SunSeeker]

6. The more people vote, the more the GOP loses.

So the GOP will fight this with all they've got. So need to be ready to fight as well.

[calimary]

7. And Good Grief do we need it!

[littlemissmartypants]

10. Hear, hear! nt

[Honeycombe8]

11. Gerrymandering is the biggest problem, IMO.

The voters can't fight against that.

As for voter ID, yes fight it in Court. But it's been years, now, that we were warned that states would start requiring photo IDs. So voters have had time to get photo IDs, if they take voting seriously. The biggest issue is getting a certified copy of birth certificate, because it takes time and costs money. Most states offer a state ID, if the voter prefers that over a driver's license.

[SWBTATTReg]

12. The entire voting process as well as the election process needs to be under some guise of Voting...

Rights and Election Rights legislation. We know (as in other posts in this trend) of minority suppression of voters, but more needs to be done in redistricting (prevent cherry picking of votes), restricting number of polling stations in populated areas, put in crazy rules to somehow restrict voter access to the polls, require some future proof of ID when voters are already on file (two IDs, etc.), etc. This whole thing is a mess from state to state.