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Help me out here...
Author: Raine    Date: 02/28/2013 14:43:59

There are some quarters out there saying that the The Voting Rights Act of 1965 and its protections are obsolete in the post-Jim Crow era. This act has been around for a mere 48 years and people want to see it gone. According to some people, It's out of date, out of touch and racism may be no more or less rampant in the south.
Chief Justice John Roberts, a vocal skeptic of the use of race in all areas of public life, cited a variety of statistics that showed starker racial disparities in some aspects of voting in Massachusetts than in Mississippi. Then he asked the government’s top Supreme Court lawyer whether the Obama administration thinks “the citizens in the South are more racist than citizens in the North.
One Justice went so far as to say that the VRA represents racial entitlement:
Then, it is reenacted 5 years later, again for a 5-year term. Double-digits against it in the Senate. Then it was reenacted for 7 years. Single digits against it. Then enacted for 25 years, 8 Senate votes against it. And this last enactment, not a single vote in the Senate against it. And the House is pretty much the same. Now, I don’t think that’s attributable to the fact that it is so much clearer now that we need this. I think it is attributable, very likely attributable, to a phenomenon that is called perpetuation of racial entitlement. It’s been written about. Whenever a society adopts racial entitlements, it is very difficult to get out of them through the normal political processes.
Is Justice Scalia saying that the Supreme Court should be legislating from the bench? It is breathaking on its surface what is being discussed -- that something only 48 years old should be dismantled -- even with verifiable proof that it helps people vote. The fact is this: the South has an abysmal record with regard to minorities and access to the voting polls.

So we watch and wait to see what happens. In the mean time, We have another sector of society that wants NO changes at all to something that was ratified 232 years ago. Our Second amendment. Most Americans want to see gun laws changed and it met with fierce push back from gun rights activists -- or as I like to call them -- gun lovers.

Jim Crow was a series of laws passed mostly in the south as a way to circumvent the 13th 14th and 15th Amendment's (the last passed in 1870). The 15th acknowledged that people of color no matter their status had a right to vote.
Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
(Note that Section 2 specifically spells out the right of Congress to create laws like the Voting Rights Act.) Yet that right was denied and abridged so severely that 95 years later Voting Rights Act was passed to stop in part, Jim Crow. The Supreme court is actually discussing whether or not we need laws to continue these protections. Do we need these protections? We could ask Marco McMillian, a mayoral candidate in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Mr. McMillian -- running as the first openly gay and black man for the town mayor could be asked about the Voting rights act. One problem: he's now dead. Investigators say it is suspected homicide. Imagine that, a black gay man found dead in Mississippi -- a man taking part in the political process. A man that wanted to make the world a better place. A man that could run for public office because of the reconstruction amendments -- and the Voting rights act.


20 beautiful young babies were murdered in Newtown, Connecticut (and since then thousands of victims of gun violence) and the NRA is saying nothing can be done about gun violence due to the second amendment and we have a Supreme court wondering about Voting rights and racial privilege. I don't understand this:

Why is it that the 232 year old 2nd Amendment must be enforced based on modern interpretation of what it means, while the 48 year old Voting Rights Act - which is based on specific language in the 15th amendment - is somehow out of date and not worthy of enforcement?

Don't get me started about the Violence Against Women Act.

and
Raine
 

60 comments (Latest Comment: 03/01/2013 00:56:20 by Will in Chicago)
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Comment by wickedpam on 02/28/2013 14:41:09
Morning

Comment by Mondobubba on 02/28/2013 14:42:31
Well, nobody's here. :Turns up blog stereo dances in underwear:

Comment by Mondobubba on 02/28/2013 14:46:46
I'm wondering if the Bobber and Raine have fled due to jackhammer?


Comment by wickedpam on 02/28/2013 14:48:42
Quote by Mondobubba:
I'm wondering if the Bobber and Raine have fled due to jackhammer?



I know I would.

Comment by TriSec on 02/28/2013 14:51:12
Gah!

* klaxon *

I don't even have anything overly tasty or nutritious saved for Saturday I could post on an emergent basis.



Comment by Mondobubba on 02/28/2013 14:56:27
Cour deleine is full of racist skin heads, Chris!

Comment by Raine on 02/28/2013 15:02:15
Blog up!

No Jackhammers this morning!

Comment by Raine on 02/28/2013 15:04:42
Norman Swartzkopf is being buried today after a memorial service at west point.

He died the end of December.



Comment by Mondobubba on 02/28/2013 15:07:31
I mondo am signing off, I have the dreaded appointment with the gastro-interologist this am. I am still not sure if the is going to the colonoscopy or just a follow up from the hospital stay. Anyway. TTTFN.

Comment by wickedpam on 02/28/2013 15:10:27
Quote by Raine:
Norman Swartzkopf is being buried today after a memorial service at west point.

He died the end of December.



from some experience I can tell you it takes a little longer to get a family member buried in certain areas when it comes to military


Comment by Scoopster on 02/28/2013 15:14:26
Mornin' all..

So yesterday mornin', on the bus just before mine on the same route, some dude got & rode north until his ex-wife got on, then stabbed her..

We were hearing stories about it on the rides last night & this morning. Some of the regulars knew this woman. It kinda hits close to home, ya know?

Comment by Raine on 02/28/2013 15:23:03
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Norman Swartzkopf is being buried today after a memorial service at west point.

He died the end of December.



from some experience I can tell you it takes a little longer to get a family member buried in certain areas when it comes to military
I'm sure you are correct -- But he's a general -- It's strange.


Comment by BobR on 02/28/2013 15:24:42
Quote by Mondobubba:
I mondo am signing off, I have the dreaded appointment with the gastro-interologist this am. I am still not sure if the is going to the colonoscopy or just a follow up from the hospital stay. Anyway. TTTFN.

Unless you've been drinking strange chemicals that make you shit out your entire insides, he's not doing a colonoscopy today.

Comment by wickedpam on 02/28/2013 15:28:24
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Norman Swartzkopf is being buried today after a memorial service at west point.

He died the end of December.



from some experience I can tell you it takes a little longer to get a family member buried in certain areas when it comes to military
I'm sure you are correct -- But he's a general -- It's strange.



Well, its winter, don't know how many funerals before his, have to wait for the caisson and the honor guards schedule - plus being that he was a general there might be even more there has to be done to be buried with full military honors



Comment by Will in Chicago on 02/28/2013 15:32:57
I worry that this Supreme Court is going to follow in the steps of Supreme Courts in the late 1800s that overturned much of the limited progress made during Reconstruction after the Civil War. The question I ask is what can be done if the court chooses YET AGAIN to be politicians in robes and strikes down the Voting Rights Act.

I think that it is perhaps time to look at reforming our Supreme Court.

Comment by Raine on 02/28/2013 15:34:16
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Norman Swartzkopf is being buried today after a memorial service at west point.

He died the end of December.



from some experience I can tell you it takes a little longer to get a family member buried in certain areas when it comes to military
I'm sure you are correct -- But he's a general -- It's strange.



Well, its winter, don't know how many funerals before his, have to wait for the caisson and the honor guards schedule - plus being that he was a general there might be even more there has to be done to be buried with full military honors


That's true, I especially forgot about the winter thing.

Comment by wickedpam on 02/28/2013 15:41:13
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Norman Swartzkopf is being buried today after a memorial service at west point.

He died the end of December.



from some experience I can tell you it takes a little longer to get a family member buried in certain areas when it comes to military
I'm sure you are correct -- But he's a general -- It's strange.



Well, its winter, don't know how many funerals before his, have to wait for the caisson and the honor guards schedule - plus being that he was a general there might be even more there has to be done to be buried with full military honors


That's true, I especially forgot about the winter thing.


since the invent of the backhoe winter burials aren't as difficult as they used to be but I think still a little tougher esp with snow - it was probably more the getting the honors all in order that took the most time.


Comment by trojanrabbit on 02/28/2013 15:53:35
Comment by Will in Chicago on 02/28/2013 16:05:42



I will apply to Waltham, but I am surprised at this story. Also, isn't Leominster a bit far from Waltham -- it was one of the towns I was in during my trip out East a year ago. (I stopped there en route from picking someone up to a trip to the Worcester Museum and ate at the Daily Bagel -- a very good deli in Leominster.)

Comment by Raine on 02/28/2013 16:17:55
Quote by Will in Chicago:
I worry that this Supreme Court is going to follow in the steps of Supreme Courts in the late 1800s that overturned much of the limited progress made during Reconstruction after the Civil War. The question I ask is what can be done if the court chooses YET AGAIN to be politicians in robes and strikes down the Voting Rights Act.

I think that it is perhaps time to look at reforming our Supreme Court.
Personally, I think Scalia should take a page from his religious leader -- and resign for the good of the court. I don;t mind conservatives on the court -- what I do mind are people like him saying that " Whenever a society adopts racial entitlements, it is very difficult to get out of them through the normal political processes." I have a serious problem -- He's using his seat on the court to influence congressional actions.


What he said was worthy of an entire post on its own -- but the rest of the blogosphere already did that. I am trying to point out what I see as a serious constitutional double standard -- If people are considering the VRA act as outdated -- some suggesting that we are in a post racial society -- to hear a Supreme court justice say something that racist kinda proves the point that we still need the VRA.

And those same people don;t want any gun laws changed. Or to be more specific, they would rather go after people with mental illness instead of address the root cause of gun violence and the need to address it with legislation.

the VRA addressed the root cause of voter disenfranchisement, it was done within the confines of the constitution. We expanded rights while protecting those that needed help. The gun lovers won't allow that to happen if they get their way.

I would go so far as to say universal background checks would allow more legal gun owners to come out of the shadows. That might be a way to say we are expanding rights, as I see it right now, Gun owners against any -- or most -- solutions are actually protecting criminals -- the same way that those against the Voting Rights act are protecting racists.

That is how I see it.




Comment by Raine on 02/28/2013 16:31:45
Let me make my point a little clearer:

I don't mind conservatives on the SCOTUS. I think balance is a good thing. What I do mind are people like Antonin Scalia saying "Whenever a society adopts racial entitlements, it is very difficult to get out of them through the normal political processes." I have a serious problem with that -- He's using his seat on the court to influence congressional actions. He's trying to legislate from the bench. That is something I know a lot of my conservative minded friends hate.

What he said was worthy of an entire post on its own -- but the rest of the blogosphere already did that. I am trying to point out what I see as a serious constitutional double standard -- If people are considering the VRA act as outdated -- some suggesting that we are in a 'post racial' society -- to hear a Supreme court justice say something that racist kinda proves the point that we still need the VRA.

It's been my experience reading that many of the people who say we are in a post racial society are often the same circles don't want any gun laws changed. Or to be more specific, they would rather go after people with mental illness instead of address the root cause of gun violence and the need to address it with legislation.

The VRA addressed the root cause of voter disenfranchisement, it was done within the confines of the constitution. We expanded rights while protecting those that needed help. The gun loving NRA-ILA won't allow that to happen if they get their way.

I would go so far as to say that universal background checks would allow more legal gun owners to come out of the shadows. That might be a way to say we are expanding rights. As I see it right now, Gun owners against any -- or most -- solutions are actually protecting criminals as well as would be criminals -- the same way that those against the Voting Rights act are protecting racists.

Radical? Yes. But That is how I see it.

Comment by TriSec on 02/28/2013 16:32:29


Saw this today. I don't know anybody up at the High School. I'd imagine this will figure prominently in the next Council meeting.

I do rest assured that the NRA is defending his right to make bombs and endorsing his presence at the school.


Comment by trojanrabbit on 02/28/2013 16:41:14
Quote by Will in Chicago:



I will apply to Waltham, but I am surprised at this story. Also, isn't Leominster a bit far from Waltham -- it was one of the towns I was in during my trip out East a year ago. (I stopped there en route from picking someone up to a trip to the Worcester Museum and ate at the Daily Bagel -- a very good deli in Leominster.)


Well, yes, Leominster is a good distance from Waltham. But I don't know anyone from Leominster.

Comment by Will in Chicago on 02/28/2013 16:47:11
Quote by Raine:
Let me make my point a little clearer:

I don't mind conservatives on the SCOTUS. I think balance is a good thing. What I do mind are people like Antonin Scalia saying "Whenever a society adopts racial entitlements, it is very difficult to get out of them through the normal political processes." I have a serious problem with that -- He's using his seat on the court to influence congressional actions. He's trying to legislate from the bench. That is something I know a lot of my conservative minded friends hate.

What he said was worthy of an entire post on its own -- but the rest of the blogosphere already did that. I am trying to point out what I see as a serious constitutional double standard -- If people are considering the VRA act as outdated -- some suggesting that we are in a 'post racial' society -- to hear a Supreme court justice say something that racist kinda proves the point that we still need the VRA.

It's been my experience reading that many of the people who say we are in a post racial society are often the same circles don't want any gun laws changed. Or to be more specific, they would rather go after people with mental illness instead of address the root cause of gun violence and the need to address it with legislation.

The VRA addressed the root cause of voter disenfranchisement, it was done within the confines of the constitution. We expanded rights while protecting those that needed help. The gun loving NRA-ILA won't allow that to happen if they get their way.

I would go so far as to say that universal background checks would allow more legal gun owners to come out of the shadows. That might be a way to say we are expanding rights. As I see it right now, Gun owners against any -- or most -- solutions are actually protecting criminals as well as would be criminals -- the same way that those against the Voting Rights act are protecting racists.

Radical? Yes. But That is how I see it.



The Supreme Court legislating from the bench and some other actions (Bush v. Gore) has hurt the standing of the court. If the Voting Rights Act is overturned, perhaps it is time that we ask for an amendment to limit the terms of Supreme Court justices. (Thom Hartmann has raised some good points on judicial review.)

Comment by Raine on 02/28/2013 17:11:47
VAWA act passed -- on its way to President's desk
The Republican-led House on Thursday passed the Democrats’ version of the Violence Against Women on Thursday, relenting after a painful battle over expanded protections for gay, Native American and illegal immigrant women.

The final vote was 286-138, winning over 199 Democrats and 87 Republicans. It’s the third time Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) has brought legislation to a floor vote without the support of at least half his conference. The GOP’s substitute failed 166-257.


Comment by Raine on 02/28/2013 17:15:44
Quote by Raine:
VAWA act passed -- on its way to President's desk
The Republican-led House on Thursday passed the Democrats’ version of the Violence Against Women on Thursday, relenting after a painful battle over expanded protections for gay, Native American and illegal immigrant women.

The final vote was 286-138, winning over 199 Democrats and 87 Republicans. It’s the third time Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) has brought legislation to a floor vote without the support of at least half his conference. The GOP’s substitute failed 166-257.
See what can happen without the Hastert Rule?


Comment by TriSec on 02/28/2013 17:23:20
So, airshow season is going to suck this year.

Hard to say, but it actually sounds like the display teams might be grounded after May 1.


We’ve oohed and aahed at the vroom of military jets flying over sporting events. That will be silenced if the federal budget cuts of sequestration are fully implemented.

A B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber flew over the Rose Bowl last month and the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in July. Flyovers are part of the pre-race ritual at many NASCAR races. Precision squadrons such as the Air Force Thunderbirds and the Navy Blue Angels have been fixtures at air shows. They fly in their six-jet delta formation over sporting events, too.

But with $85 billion in federal budget cuts set to take effect Friday if no solution is found in Congress (the cuts would total $1.2 trillion over 10 years), such flyovers will be grounded, and there could be cuts to service academy athletics departments.

A low cloud ceiling prevented the Thunderbirds from making their scheduled flyover Sunday at the Daytona 500. Next on their schedule is a flyover March 10 for a NASCAR event at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“The Thunderbirds are expected to stand down effective April 1. (Las Vegas) is pretty much going to be, I think, the last flyover you’ll see for a while from us,” Wendy Varhegyi, chief of the engagement division for Air Force public affairs, told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday.

She said the curtailment would be at least through the end of the fiscal year (Sept. 30), “And then at that point, we’ll reevaluate. … Sequestration is a 10-year problem, so we just don’t know.”




Comment by livingonli on 02/28/2013 17:31:25
Good day, folks: It seems like Scalia might fit more in sheets than in judicial robes with his views.

Comment by Raine on 02/28/2013 18:34:25
Comment by Raine on 02/28/2013 18:53:57
Am I the only one that found it strange that the Pope Emeritus will be living in Castle Gandolfo?

Comment by TriSec on 02/28/2013 19:18:01
Quote by Raine:
Am I the only one that found it strange that the Pope Emeritus will be living in Castle Gandolfo?



He's just biding his time until he can get his hands on those cloistered nuns. They won't be cloistered for long, I'd wager.

(Wait, that's something else, isn't it? )

Comment by Raine on 02/28/2013 19:18:58
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Raine:
VAWA act passed -- on its way to President's desk
The Republican-led House on Thursday passed the Democrats’ version of the Violence Against Women on Thursday, relenting after a painful battle over expanded protections for gay, Native American and illegal immigrant women.

The final vote was 286-138, winning over 199 Democrats and 87 Republicans. It’s the third time Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) has brought legislation to a floor vote without the support of at least half his conference. The GOP’s substitute failed 166-257.
See what can happen without the Hastert Rule?


I'm not the only one who noticed this... (feels proud)
A majority of Republicans, 138, voted against the Senate bill. This technically violates the GOP’s “Hastert Rule,” which requires a majority of the House majority to support any legislation brought to the floor.

According to The National Review Online, House Minority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) held a closed-door meeting with his caucus to warn them that there would be a “civil war” in the party if the House did not allow a vote on the Senate’s bill. After said meeting, only nine Republicans voted against taking up the bill — included in those were nine were Tea Partiers Steve King (R-IA) and Paul Broun (R-GA), both likely candidates for the U.S. Senate in 2014.


Sadly the only way to govern these days is to disregard the Hastart Rule. -- Actually, maybe its not that sad at all. What we saw today is a simple truth, there is a minority of people in Congress holding up the peoples work.

Comment by Raine on 02/28/2013 19:19:43
Quote by TriSec:
Quote by Raine:
Am I the only one that found it strange that the Pope Emeritus will be living in Castle Gandolfo?



He's just biding his time until he can get his hands on those cloistered nuns. They won't be cloistered for long, I'd wager.

(Wait, that's something else, isn't it? )



Comment by Mondobubba on 02/28/2013 19:24:09
Quote by Raine:
Am I the only one that found it strange that the Pope Emeritus will be living in Castle Gandolfo?


The Vatican owns a castle named for this guy???

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/7/72373/1716330-gandalfthegrey.jpg


Comment by Mondobubba on 02/28/2013 19:25:02
Quote by Raine:
Quote by TriSec:
Quote by Raine:
Am I the only one that found it strange that the Pope Emeritus will be living in Castle Gandolfo?



He's just biding his time until he can get his hands on those cloistered nuns. They won't be cloistered for long, I'd wager.

(Wait, that's something else, isn't it? )



Yeah that 85-year old PanzerKardinal is a sex mosheen!


Comment by TriSec on 02/28/2013 19:26:50
Actually, I prefer Herr Reichspontiff.



Comment by Mondobubba on 02/28/2013 19:28:44
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
I mondo am signing off, I have the dreaded appointment with the gastro-interologist this am. I am still not sure if the is going to the colonoscopy or just a follow up from the hospital stay. Anyway. TTTFN.

Unless you've been drinking strange chemicals that make you shit out your entire insides, he's not doing a colonoscopy today.



Just was the follow up with Dr Prada Shoes. End of the month is the colonoscopy. The two purging methods are repellent, one involves . castor oil, the other is stool softeners, laxative mixed in Gatorade. Both sound all together puke making.

Comment by Mondobubba on 02/28/2013 19:34:57
You know considering I also had an eye exam in the last hour, my posts seem for the most part to be free of blurry eyed weirdness.

Speaking of the eye exam, my health plan's vision benefits suck donkey nuts, Most of the benefit if for frames, not lenses! WTF? Oh and UHC will magnanimously cover the entire cost of the colonoscopy, but not the sedation. When I had my cardiac cath done in 2007, my out of pocket was zero. Tri, is UHC know for the stinginess of its coverage? If so this must be a recent development, when I had coverage from them at AOL is was awesome!

Comment by Mondobubba on 02/28/2013 19:35:30
Quote by TriSec:
Actually, I prefer Herr Reichspontiff.






Comment by Raine on 02/28/2013 19:39:35
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Am I the only one that found it strange that the Pope Emeritus will be living in Castle Gandolfo?


The Vatican owns a castle named for this guy???

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/7/72373/1716330-gandalfthegrey.jpg

Thank you for hitting the softball...

Comment by Mondobubba on 02/28/2013 19:41:28
Comment by Mondobubba on 02/28/2013 19:42:10
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Am I the only one that found it strange that the Pope Emeritus will be living in Castle Gandolfo?


The Vatican owns a castle named for this guy???

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/7/72373/1716330-gandalfthegrey.jpg

Thank you for hitting the softball...


Softball, no Sugar, that was a T-Ball.

Comment by BobR on 02/28/2013 19:42:26
Quote by Raine:
Sadly the only way to govern these days is to disregard the Hastart Rule. -- Actually, maybe its not that sad at all. What we saw today is a simple truth, there is a minority of people in Congress holding up the peoples work.


ditto the Senate

Comment by wickedpam on 02/28/2013 20:04:10
anyone know where the list of Nay votes for the VAWA?

Comment by Raine on 02/28/2013 20:26:16
Quote by wickedpam:
anyone know where the list of Nay votes for the VAWA?
Here you go!


Comment by wickedpam on 02/28/2013 20:27:14
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
anyone know where the list of Nay votes for the VAWA?
Here you go!



thanks

Comment by TriSec on 02/28/2013 20:28:59
Quote by Mondobubba:
You know considering I also had an eye exam in the last hour, my posts seem for the most part to be free of blurry eyed weirdness.

Speaking of the eye exam, my health plan's vision benefits suck donkey nuts, Most of the benefit if for frames, not lenses! WTF? Oh and UHC will magnanimously cover the entire cost of the colonoscopy, but not the sedation. When I had my cardiac cath done in 2007, my out of pocket was zero. Tri, is UHC know for the stinginess of its coverage? If so this must be a recent development, when I had coverage from them at AOL is was awesome!



Yes, actually. UHC is well noted in the industry for the amount of prong involved. Their benefits stink, the customer service is lousy, and it's very expensive for what you get.


Comment by TriSec on 02/28/2013 20:31:02
I have a supplemental benefit for glasses called "Eyemed". It's a few extra pennies out of my pocket every pay period. It covers over and above what the Plan does, but I got it for the eyewear benefit. It's like $200 towards frames and lenses, plus another $100 towards sunglasses if I want.



Comment by wickedpam on 02/28/2013 20:31:39
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
anyone know where the list of Nay votes for the VAWA?
Here you go!



thanks


and I see that Wolf voted against it - dammit, and he just won re-election too


Comment by Raine on 02/28/2013 20:42:20
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
anyone know where the list of Nay votes for the VAWA?
Here you go!



thanks


and I see that Wolf voted against it - dammit, and he just won re-election too
This article has a good explanation of how and why the votes were what they were. That Chris Cilizza is going places...