In Selma, GOP Lawmakers Explain Why They Don’t Support John Lewis’ Bill To Restore Voting Rights Act

[babylonsister]

Lazy and useless.

In Selma, GOP Lawmakers Explain Why They Don’t Support John Lewis’ Bill To Restore Voting Rights Act

by Alice Ollstein
Posted on March 8, 2015 at 9:03 am


SELMA, ALABAMA — Dozens of members of Congress, and many more Republicans than ever before, came to Selma this week to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the infamous attack on voting rights protesters known as Bloody Sunday.

Some lawmakers told ThinkProgress the event highlighted the urgency of passing a currently languishing bill that would restore the full powers of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Others showed little interest in doing so.

On his way to the commemoration ceremony, Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) said it’s been “powerful” to hear stories from Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), who helped lead the Selma march 50 years ago and was severely beaten by police. But when ThinkProgress asked if he supports Lewis’ voting rights bill, he replied, “I haven’t looked at it. Is there a Senate version?”

A Senate version was introduced several weeks ago, and currently has zero Republican sponsors.

Portman, who has advocated for cuts to Ohio’s early voting period and voted against the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, added before walking away: “This day is about more than just tweaks to the Voting Rights Act. This is about ensuring equal justice and learning from the lessons of the past.”

snip//

While walking to the VIP section of the Selma anniversary event, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) said of Lewis’ bill: “I haven’t studied it sufficiently to comment on it.” And while Lewis, President Obama and others emphasized Saturday how far the country still has to go to eradicate racism and voter suppression, Sessions told ThinkProgress: “I think we’ve had so much improved voting rights in Alabama that the Court was probably correct {to strike down part of the Voting Rights Act}.”

more...

http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/03/08/3631184/selma-gop-lawmakers-explain-dont-support-john-lewis-bill-restore-voting-rights-act/

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

1. This is the most important issue of the day, if you cant vote, then GOP takes over everything

[Bozvotros]

2. "And we learned that we didn't need cops on horseback, teargas and billy clubs to do the same thing"

Sessions went on.

[safeinOhio]

3. I can't wait to vote

For Ted Strickland to replace him.

[starroute]

4. Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III

I kid you not.

[Gothmog]

5. The GOP is the party of voter suppression and relies on voter suppression to win races

[BumRushDaShow]

6. "This is about ensuring equal justice and learning from the lessons of the past.”

Meaning that he had no clue or concern about what happened in 1965 and the reason behind the march from Selma to Montgomery.

Most likely because it wasn't his kind fighting for the right to vote without being denied, harassed, or hindered by draconian legislative measures designed to suppress that right for a certain demographic of the electorate. Had he and his family been here a couple hundred years ago, like many Africans who were dragged here, and not been "land-owning gentry", they would have been equally disenfranchised.

[Grins]

7. This article is bogus.

I have it on very good authority that Congress acts INSTANTLY on legislation where "disastrous consequences" might occur should they not act, to wit:

"What about Congress? You really think Congress is just going to sit there while ­­all of these disastrous consequences ensue? I mean, how often have we come out with a decision … [and] Congress adjusts - enacts a statute that ­­takes care of the problem? It happens all the time. Why is that not going to happen here?". - Antonin "Eyebrows of Doom" Scalia.

Some wiseguy then cracked,

"This Congress you honor...?"

The VRA was killed by conservatives in 2013. Since then we have had a national election and still there is no remedy fr Congress that was demanded by the Court.

[calimary]

8. My friend, there won't be ANY remedy as long as we're stuck with THIS Congress.

First you have to admit you have a problem. As any counseling service or rehab center or whatever will state.

First you have to admit there's a problem. And where the Supreme Court went wrong, in my opinion, is the five justices' determination that there simply wasn't a problem anymore. Problem? WHAT problem? We fixed it. No need for any more fixes or remedies or vigilance or prevention or any of that. Problem solved!

And MAN were they wrong!!!! Seems to me there's almost a bigger problem now than there has ever been. Seems to me, in many cases, the problem not only did NOT cease to exist, it just got a lot worse. They not only did not recognize there still was a problem - they just decided there is no problem anymore.

And MAN-OH-MAN were they wrong!

[rladdi]

9. The republicans will fail in the 2016 elections. failing because of no immigration bill and not

supporting the blacks in voting rights. All the Republicans state have bill and are passing new bills to take away voters rights. This is how the Republicans will hijack our government. They are truly traitors to the people of the USA.

[Ford_Prefect]

10. Gerrymandered congressional districts in many states all but guarantee Repulican majorities

will continue. Add to that the enormous funding advantage of the Koch driven GOP.

We may well win the Whitehouse and still have an oppositional hostile congress in 2017.