Supreme Court Rules against portion of the Voting Right Act
buzzz worthy. . .
Today, the Supreme Court struck down a portion of the landmark Voting Rights Act (The Act) in a 5 to 4 decision. The court did not uphold Section 4 of the crucial 1965 Act which previously mandated the built-in approval process for nine of the most historically discriminating states (largely in the South) to get pre-approved on the federal level before changing their voting laws. This decision makes the entire Voting Rights Act vulnerable to future revisions. The Act, which was designed to prevent discrimination against minorites in the voting process, is one of the most significant pieces of legislation in American history. Chief Justice John Roberts cast the deciding vote, supported by Justices Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.
Roberts did not deny the presence of discrimination in the voting process. "At the same time, voting discrimination still exists; no one doubts that. The question is whether the Act’s extraordinary measures, including its disparate treatment of the States, continue to satisfy constitutional requirements. As we put it a short time ago, “the Act imposes current burdens and must be justified by current needs.”
Now it is up to Congress to the law is still valid today.
Today, the Supreme Court struck down a portion of the landmark Voting Rights Act (The Act) in a 5 to 4 decision. The court did not uphold Section 4 of the crucial 1965 Act which previously mandated the built-in approval process for nine of the most historically discriminating states (largely in the South) to get pre-approved on the federal level before changing their voting laws. This decision makes the entire Voting Rights Act vulnerable to future revisions. The Act, which was designed to prevent discrimination against minorites in the voting process, is one of the most significant pieces of legislation in American history. Chief Justice John Roberts cast the deciding vote, supported by Justices Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.
Roberts did not deny the presence of discrimination in the voting process. "At the same time, voting discrimination still exists; no one doubts that. The question is whether the Act’s extraordinary measures, including its disparate treatment of the States, continue to satisfy constitutional requirements. As we put it a short time ago, “the Act imposes current burdens and must be justified by current needs.”
Now it is up to Congress to the law is still valid today.
