Norm Ornstein of the very conservative American Enterprise Institute (AEI), writes this week at National Journal…
The reasoning employed by Chief Justice John Roberts in Shelby County“”that Section 5 of the act was such a spectacular success that it is no longer necessary””was the equivalent of taking down speed cameras and traffic lights and removing speed limits from a dangerous intersection because they had combined to reduce accidents and traffic deaths.
I won’t be surprised if history finds the Shelby County ruling, along with Citizens United, to be right up there in the Dred Scott pantheon of terrible rulings by a U.S. Supreme Court. That both occurred within years of each others on the John Roberts Court speaks volumes — and does not bode well for whatever may still be to come.
How’s that for a scary Halloween night posting?…
You are scaring me, we had to have a civil war to get amendments to over rule Dredd Scott decision.
Chris Hedges:
(Truth Dig). Happy November 2013.
One week ago Judge Sandra Watts Of Texas was in the news – initially blocked from voting a regular ballot thanks to the Voter ID law just taking effect.
She refused the provisional ballot offer and She had to sign an affidavit affirming her identity in order to vote.
Watts worried that women who use maiden names or hyphenated names may be surprised at the polls. “I don’t think most women know that this is going to create a problem,” the judge said. “That their maiden name is on their driver’s license, which was mandated in 1964 when I got married, and this.
And so why would I want to use a provisional ballot when I’ve been voting regular ballot for the last 49 years?”