LetMyPeopleVote
LetMyPeopleVote's JournalAttorney General Holder and Section 3 of Voting Rights Act
The announcement by Attorney General Holder that the DOJ is seeking to apply Section 3 of the Voting Rights Act to Texas is a big deal and carries some risk. Section 3 of the voting rights act is the bail in section where courts can force a jurisdiction to submit changes for preclearance. http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/25/19678352-holder-justice-dept-will-contest-texas-redistricting?lite&ocid=msnhp&pos=4
"This request to 'bail in' the state -- and require it to obtain pre-approval from either the department or a federal court before implementing future voting changes -- is available under the Voting Rights Act when intentional voting discrimination is found," he said.
"We believe that the State of Texas should be required to go through a pre-clearance process whenever it changes its voting laws and practices."
In the filing with the Federal Court, the DOJ raises a number of reasons why preclearance is necessary for Texas http://txredistricting.org/post/56451053952/dojs-court-filing-on-section-3 The pleading and brief filed here is well done and there are good facts to show that Texas needs to be subject to preclearance
I love the fact that Abbott, Goodhair, Senator Box Turtle and others are very upset by this filing. http://txredistricting.org/post/56440055042/reactions-from-texas-members-of-congress-on-the-latest and http://txredistricting.org/post/56436751447/gov-perrys-press-statement-on-dojs-section-3-move
Gov. Rick Perrys press statement responding to DOJs move on section 3:
"Once again, the Obama Administration is demonstrating utter contempt for our countrys system of checks and balances, not to mention the U.S. Constitution. This end-run around the Supreme Court undermines the will of the people of Texas, and casts unfair aspersions on our states common-sense efforts to preserve the integrity of our elections process."
The DOJ's use of Section 3 is high risk in that the SCOTUS may review this section but has the potential of stopping the Texas voter id law
The state of Texas has made clear it will fight the DOJs efforts, and argues that both Section 3 and Section 5 are unconstitutional. That means they could appeal directly to the Supreme Court if civil rights advocates succeed at bailing in Texas. It would go as a direct appeal to the Supreme Court, Hasen said. And I think the Supreme Court would take the case.
If Texas wins the case, its unclear if DOJ would appeal. But if it loses, its all but certain Texas will appeal. In a statement Thursday, Gov. Rick Perry (R) slammed Holders move as reflecting utter contempt for our countrys system of checks and balances and said that an end run around the Supreme Court undermines the will of the people of Texas.
The Justice Department sees this as the first step in their efforts to crack down on voter discrimination with the tools they still have under the Voting Rights Act. Officials are closely watching other state-level moves, such as the voter ID push in North Carolina. Part of the aim is to fire a warning shot to states and make clear that theyll face DOJ pushback if they seek to exploit the Supreme Court decision.
This will be a fun fight to watch.
Roast of Juanita Jean
The Fort Bend Silver Democrats are roasting Juanita Jean this Saturday, July 27 http://juanitajean.com/2013/07/24/last-chance/
I will be there and would love to see some other DUers at this event
Poem read at Senate Hearings-If my Vagina was a Gun
As a father of two strong Texas women, this poem made me smile http://dailytexanonline.com/blogs/the-update/2013/07/08/liveblog-texas-senate-committee-hears-abortion-legislation
Austinite Katie Heim was one of many to testify before the committee. Unlike the other testifiers, she read a poem she wrote, called "If My Vagina Was a Gun." Read the full poem, below:
"If my vagina was a gun, you would stand for its rights,
You would ride on buses and fight all the fights.
If my vagina was a gun, you would treat it with care,
You wouldn't spill all its secrets because, well, why go there.
If my vaginas was a gun, you'd say what it holds is private
From cold dead hands we could pry, you surely would riot.
If my vagina was a gun, it's rights would all be protected,
no matter the body count or the children effected.
If my vagina was a gun, I could bypass security,
concealed carry laws would ensure I'd have impunity.
If my vagina was a gun, I wouldn't have to beg you,
I could hunt this great land and do all the things men do.
But my vagina is not a gun, it is a mightier thing,
With a voice that rings true making lawmakers ears ring.
Vaginas are not delicate, they are muscular and magic,
So stop messing with mine, with legislation that's tragic.
My vagina's here to demand from the source,
Listen to the voices of thousand or feel their full force."
Perry to announce 2014 plans on Monday
Goodhair is suppose to announce his 2014 election plans on Monday, July 8 in San Antonio http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/07/02/first-on-cnn-perry-to-announce-political-future-on-monday/
I am still betting that he will not run for re-election in 2014
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