The Fight for Voting Rights Is Our Fight Today

[cal04]

Thursday, August 6 marks the 50-year anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This landmark piece of legislation was a milestone in the fight for civil rights and a great step forward in the advancement of our democracy. This important and popular law passed the House and Senate with the support of large majorities from both parties.

Unfortunately, some people would rather increase the power of the privileged few than defend voting rights. Right-wing groups like the Heritage Foundation and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) have been promoting legislative proposals which make it harder for minorities to register and vote. Sadly, those proposals have had some success at the state level.

Then there's the Supreme Court. The Court's conservative majority struck a blow against democracy in 2010 with its Citizens United decision. In 2013 it struck another blow, when it overturned a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. That made it very difficult to step in and enforce voters' rights under the Act.

It is an embarrassment that the Republican-led Congress, in order to preserve its majorities, has refused to consider legislation to repair that damage to the Voting Rights Act and will not act to fix our broken voting system.

Bernie Sanders
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bernie-sanders/the-fight-for-voting-righ_b_7942850.html?utm_hp_ref=yahoo&ir=Yahoo

[aspirant]

1. This major issue

Last edited Thu Aug 6, 2015, 11:04 AM - Edit history (1)

needs to be addressed now.

Crosscheck has a list of 7 million names shared with over 20 states that can purge your name without due process.

Screaming a month before an election doesn't work

[think]

2. Bernie entered a bill to designate Federal election day as a public holiday

Of course the congress & the American MSM will do their best to completely ignore it.

[jwirr]

3. Another thing we can fight for is the birth registration. That is you are automatically registered

when you are born.