Showing posts with label voting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label voting. Show all posts

Monday, April 11, 2016

Election Jokes of the Week April 10, 2016

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On the Republican side, I saw that Ted Cruz visited a matzah factory in Brooklyn. Of course, matzah is the unleavened bread that Jewish people eat for Passover, and Ted Cruz is the presidential candidate that New Yorkers will definitely pass over.
~ Jimmy Fallon











While campaigning in New York today, Hillary Clinton rode the subway and had to swipe her metro card five times before getting through a turnstile. Though if you know Hillary Clinton, you know she'll keep trying until she gets in.
She swiped her metro card five times, which means it only took the crowd behind her 10 seconds to go from "Oh my God it's Hillary!" to "Let's go lady!"
~ Seth Meyers







After weeks of back and forth, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton have finally agreed to hold a debate in Brooklyn next Thursday. You know you're in New York when you have to argue over the date of when you're going to argue.
~ Jimmy Fallon

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have scheduled a debate for next Thursday in Brooklyn. Which is about as close as Bernie Sanders can get to Wall Street without spontaneously combusting.
~ Seth Meyers







"Bernie Sanders won on the Democratic side in the Wisconsin primary. Sanders' Wisconsin supporters celebrated by drinking Old Milwaukee, or as Bernie calls it, 'Young Milwaukee.'"
~ Jimmy Fallon

"There is an ironclad rule of politics: No funny hats."
~ Ted Cruz in Wisconsin




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Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Bernie Camp Blames Hillary for AZ Voting Problems

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Previous Related Posts:

Bernie Gives Hillary the Hand of Silence
Polls and Predictions for Hillary and Bernie on Super Tuesday
Hillary Landslide in South Carolina
With #CoinTossGate Bernie Bros Call Hillary Fraud
Clinton and Cruz win Iowa Caucus 2016

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Voters for Bernie Sanders can't believe that their candidate doesn't win every state, so they rationalize. They say Bernie gets the "real" states, while Hillary only wins "Southern" or "Confederate" states in the south, totally dismissing her wins in Massachusetts, Iowa (which they still consider a tie), and Illinois.

There seems to be a basic lack of civics knowledge, as well as a sense of what the Primary is supposed to achieve, which is a chance for Democrats in blue, red, or purple states to pick a general election candidate. Bernie simply does better in party-run caucuses in smaller states, while Hillary is picking up loads of delegates in straightforward primaries run by state and local governments. In fact, her lead in both popular votes and delegates is getting to the point that some Democrats are suggesting that Bernie should drop out of the race for the good of the party.





But Bernie and his gang are not going to go quietly into that good night, and the first stage of campaign loss is denial.

Last night during the Western Tuesday primary, Bernie handily won the Idaho and Utah caucuses, but Hillary got basically a landslide in Arizona so the denial reached new heights, with the Bernies blaming Hillary and the Democrats for somehow "making sure" there were going to be long lines in Maricopa County, and even blaming them for paperwork problems involving Independents trying to vote in a closed Primary open only to Dems. Trolls jumped onto Twitter last night to insist that the Democrats were running the AZ primary (see below) and would not listen to reason.






First of all, Arizona is a red state with a state-run primary for both parties. Number two, voters for every candidate, including GOP and Hillary voters, were standing in the same long lines. And thirdly, the County Vote Recorder admitted to a reporter on video that local election officials decided to have half the number of usual voting places and count on early voting by mail to pick up the slack - big mistake during such a major election year with so many candidates. So none of it has anything to do with Hillary, but the Republican bureaucracy and penny-pinching of the state of Arizona and Maricopa County in particular. Most other counties did not have the same problems.



But don't let the facts bother you, Bernie bros!

Bernie's long-time Campaign Manager Jeff Weaver (cousin of Karl Rove of "skewed polls" fame on Fox News), said he was concerned that "something happened" in Arizona to help Hillary get more votes. He was also asked about why Bernie voters nearly always "boo" for Hillary when Bernie mentions her name.



































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Monday, July 21, 2014

Chris McDaniel Leads Mississippi Mud-Slinging

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The Polar Vortex dipped as far south as Mississippi last week, but that didn't cool down the Republican Primary race, and with increased heat and humidity this week, the "Long Hot Summer" is reaching a boiling point. The trouble with throwing hot-boiling mud is that some of it bounces back onto you. That's what is happening to the Mississippi Tea Party. Talk about muddying the waters! Some of it is worse than mud . . .

Previous Related Posts:
Mississippi GOP and the Cotton-Pickin' Conference Call
Mississippi Chaos ~ Voter Fraud and Suicide
Mississippi Senate Race Shenanigans
Poutrageous ~ McDaniel Loses to Thad Cochran

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Thursday, July 17, the State Supreme Court ruled that McDaniel and his minions couldn't view the birthdates of voters in the polling books. The people in charge of the state election had testified there was no reason to give out that information since voters were already vetted by those in charge, and McDaniel had no jurisdiction as a candidate. Also, apparently McDaniel produced no evidence of voter fraud anyway!

From the Jackson Clarion-Ledger:
The state Supreme Court on Thursday rejected Chris McDaniel's request for access to poll books without voters' birth dates blacked out.
But McDaniel's lawyers are going to ask the court to rehear the case.
. . . In a statement Thursday, McDaniel said a Mississippi candidate "should not have to raise $100,000 to verify an election was carried out legally."

The McDaniel campaign had filed lawsuits against numerous county circuit clerks statewide over the access and was granted access in some cases, denied in others. It appealed its case against Harrison County Circuit Clerk Gayle Parker to the state Supreme Court, asking for an emergency order opening the records.
McDaniel accused Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann — who endorsed Cochran — of intentionally misleading circuit clerks to thwart him.
On Thursday Hosemann said, "Filing lawsuits against circuit clerks who are clearly following the law is both a waste of time and taxpayer money."

From GulfLive
McDaniel has released no documents to substantiate his claims that thousands of voting irregularities occurred June 24.
The only registered voters prohibited from casting a ballot in the June 24 Republican runoff were those who had voted in the June 3 Democratic primary. Mississippi voters do not register by party, but state law bans people from voting in one party's primary and another party's runoff in the same cycle.

After losing in the Miss. Supreme Court, McDaniel once again showed he cannot lose gracefully by calling for the Republican Party to be "purged."

Via The Hill
"They hired Democratic operatives to go out into Democratic communities and call me a racist," said McDaniel, who still has not conceded in the race.
"That's despicable," he went on.
"It goes to show that there are elements within our own party that have to be purged … There are elements within our own party that have no business being Republicans. Republicans should not behave in that fashion."
McDaniel was speaking on "Focal Point," a radio talk-show based in Tupelo. His comments were reported by The Associated Press.
. . . Ads that ran on black radio stations prior to the runoff said McDaniel would cut social welfare programs such as food stamps if he succeeded in the race.
"Because of the race baiting, because of all the nasty things they said about me and conservatives in this state, they pushed more than 40,000 Democrats into the Republican runoff," McDaniel said in the interview.



At some point McDaniel will have to accept that the election is over and Cochran won. But there is now a rift in the Mississippi Republican Party that may never be healed. McDaniel supporters are using the hashtag #RememberMississippi - and we know how long memories last in that state, where the Civil War seems like yesterday. Democrats hopeful for a win in November are urging them to "Please Proceed" with their in-fighting.

What McDaniel and his supporters are particularly good at is making accusations at everyone from black voters to journalists to people who dare to state an opinion on Twitter. They spent the past week throwing muck at anyone who accepts the election laws of Mississippi or questions whether McDaniel should just concede before he does more damage.

And McDaniel is the one cheering them on.



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Posted on Chris McDaniel's Facebook on July 19

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Here's a sweet insult directed at ME on Twitter:



I'm a troll? You look more like a troll, but never mind...

Maybe McDaniel just "seems" racist because he courts Neo-Confederates:





And maybe McDaniel scared off voters because he's just cray-cray.
Here he is joking about Racism and "Mamacitas"
(Does this prove it to you, Troll?)



Some McDaniel supporters just seem confused:



Yeah - Republicans don't need those minority groups.
Oh wait.
Maybe if McDaniel hadn't been so busy with dog-whistles
he would have gotten those votes.

This next person seems almost frightened of voting.
After all, you can't trust anybody anymore.




Others think, Hey, Cochran Should Just Resign, ok?
Come, on, Thad, Pleeeeeeeeeze???



And some just want to simply change all-the- laws so that the Tea Party can win - an old story, but a dangerous one. Sore losers always want to change the rules. I don't think this will help them in the future, as it will just make Democrats more determined to win.



Yesterday, Sunday 7-20-2014, there was this exchange on Facebook, with mud-slinging all over the place:

Jeremiah Boddy
July 18 at 6:43pm · Jackson, MS · Edited ·
I had a meeting with Joe Nosef today. It was agreed that there must be apologies made on behalf of the Cochran campaign for the race baiting comments. Also coarse things said by McDaniel campaign. We can heal but there must be apologies first.

Grant Sowell
I want to see this and some orange jump suits along with apologies.
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Joe Nosef
Just for the record to make things clear I did not say the Cochran campaign needed to apologize for ads run by a third party group. No more than I would say that the McDaniel campaign needs to apologize for the nursing home break in. But I do believe people on both sides who actually care about government & how it impacts their lives should make a sincere effort to find common ground. That could include a general apology for the tone of the campaign. And things done in the aftermath. I had a good meeting with Jeremiah and do not blame him for our small miscommunication. He is a nice young man and some of the people on here who are much older should listen to him.

Danny Sowell
I am willing to take one for the team today and say Mr. Nosef and the Cochran dog & pony show can go to hell where they all belong.
I have read comments made by Nosef on another thread that was posted yesterday and the guy doesn't understand the damage done. Cochran can apologize all he wants, but his words are just that, and a I doubt his ramblings would be sincere. Personally, I don't see anything Chris needs to apologize for. Cochran has stood by and allowed these pigs to run his campaign in the ground and cause collateral damage to the conservative base. The best thing he can do is resign, admit to the wrong doing of his campaign hands, and denounce all of the criminal activity. Until those things happen, Nosef, the Barbours and Cochran can kiss it where the sun doesn't shine. I think the majority of conservatives will not fall for the idea of an apology and everything will be just fine. The most terrible act one could do is paint another as a racist and once this has been done, we all will be viewed as just that, a racist.

Joe Nosef
Danny thanks for the very intelligent post. I'm sure you were a great asset to Chris' campaign. I am going to screen shot your post so I can use it during presentations as an example of one of the main problems in this election.

And it just went downhill from there:

Stacey D.
The Republicans elected Chris. Period. Fix that. I hate politics. I have lost sleep over this and ignored my children trying to follow the news. At least they know that it matters though. I waved a flag and held a Chris sign for the first time in my life (so therein I am a problem too). I want a clean house with professionals who listen to the people and have their eyes on the Lord. Repentance requires stepping away and finding yourself again. I felt helpless as I watched a man I had voted for for years do something that as a social worker I condemn. There is a paper trail. There are facts. There is accountability. The nursing home NEVER was Chris's, doing clearly. A man who died innocent never got to speak for himself. For the love of the children of MS who need their Republican votes to mean something, SEEK THE LORD's FACE AND SEEK HIS WISDOM AND GUIDANCE AND DO THE HARD THING!!!!! GIVE THE REPUBLICAN PEOPLE OF MS WHAT THEY WANT!!!!!!!

Cynthia H.
Joe Nosef, keep siding with evil, we will remember.

Robby B.
There is no difference now between the democratic and Republican Party. Thad's campaign pulled the same stunts as the Obama campaign in stealing the election. It's not about representing conservative values, it's about power and holding onto it. Hypocrites in suits keeping the status quo.

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Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Michele Bachmann ~ Spank Obama

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From World Net Daily
SPANK THE PRESIDENT

WND asked Bachmann if she is similarly concerned the president will do what he wants no matter what Congress does on immigration.

“Well, of course he’s going to, unless we pinch his ears back,” she observed.

She noted his penchant to rule by executive order is working for him but not the American people.

“He has a perpetual magic wand and nobody’s given him a spanking yet and taken it out of his hand,” she added maternally.

Bachmann says Congress has the power to discipline a misbehaving president, “And the way we spank the president is we do it through the checkbook.”


. . . this is one of the greatest Bachmann videos of all time. And given her track record, that's not easy.
~ Steve Benen on Maddow Blog

Are they sure it wasn't Marcus who wants to spank the President? Or perhaps he wants to be spanked by him?
~ Chris G. on Huff Post

If the president really had a magic wand, you'd be tongue-roping flies from your lily pad in the Okeefenokee.
~ dalejns on Huff Post

A spanking is coming, and it will be given by the door that hits Michele on her way out.
~ Ismael Coffee on Huff Post

As Nancy Pelosi said about Bachmann; "Who cares"
~ WhatWereTheyThinking on Huff Post

Will someone just throw a pail of water on her and take her broom already?
~ Memzilla on Wonkette

Wand envy.
~ Schmannnity on Wonkette

She also believes she's married to a straight guy.
~ PuckStopsHere on Wonkette

The mind of Michele Bachmann could be a fun place to visit. Kind of like Pan's Labyrinth meets those Left Behind books.
~ natl_[redacted]_cmdr on Wonkette

It's an interview with World News Daily which is often referred to as World Nut Daily. WND is where the birthers and a large number of conspiracy fans hang out.
~ Snarkytooth on YouTube

Oooh, talk dirty to me too, Michelle. Tell me about voter suppression and how you want your ballot box stuffed by the erectorate.
~ Eliot M. on YouTube

But if the president can wave a magic wand and get things done, why does he need majorities in both houses? Better yet, why doesn't he have majority support in both houses? Afterall, he could simply wave the wand and voila, republicans are shed by the congress like a second skin.
~ Christofson on YouTub














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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

#SCOTUS Brings Back Jim Crow


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Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Rand Paul Speaks at Howard University ~ Updated

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From Business Insider ~ Rand Paul at Howard University
"The Democrats promised equalizing outcomes through unlimited federal assistance while Republicans offered something that seemed less tangible-the promise of equalizing opportunity through free markets," Paul said. "Now Republicans face a daunting task. Several generations of black voters have never voted Republican and are not very open to even considering the option."

"The Democrat promise is tangible and puts food on the table, but too often doesn't lead to jobs or meaningful success," he continued, adding later, "I would argue that the objective evidence shows that big government is not a friend to African Americans."

. . . "I can recite books that have been written, or I can plunge into the arena and stumble and maybe fall but at least I will have striven," Paul said. "My hope is that you will hear me out, that you will see me for who I am, not the caricature sometimes presented by political opponents."

Echoing a popular conservative talking point, Paul repeatedly reminded the audience that Democrats passed Jim Crow laws in the south and that Abraham Lincoln was a Republican, as were the first black legislators and the founders of the NAACP.
“Would everyone know here they were all Republicans?” he said at one point, referring to the NAACP’s founders.
“Yes!” came the booming response from nearly the entire audience, who appeared offended Paul would even raise the question.
~ Talking Points Memo

Rand Paul Randsplains How Republicans Lost The Black Vote: Black People Just Don’t Understand
. . . The real star was his engagement in the fun-at-CPAC pastime of reminiscing about all of the great things Republicans did before 1964, and the concurrently crummy things Democrats did back then, but with the manner of a first-grade teacher explaining the alphabet. Believe it or not, Rand, lots of people already know about the shift that occurred in 1964.
~ Tommy Christopher on Mediaite

You can’t just yada yada yada the last 60 Republican years. A Republican freed the slaves, gave black people the vote, yada yada yada, and now all blacks vote Democratic, I mean, what the hell?
~ Jon Stewart


























































Fact Check:

Paul said the Civil Rights Act of 1964 shouldn't apply to private business owners:

Via Think Progress 5-19-2010
INTERVIEWER: Would you have voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

PAUL: I like the Civil Rights Act in the sense that it ended discrimination in all public domains, and I’m all in favor of that.

INTERVIEWER: But?

PAUL: You had to ask me the “but.” I don’t like the idea of telling private business owners—I abhor racism. I think it’s a bad business decision to exclude anybody from your restaurant—but, at the same time, I do believe in private ownership. But I absolutely think there should be no discrimination in anything that gets any public funding, and that’s most of what I think the Civil Rights Act was about in my mind.



Transcript of Rachel Maddow via Washington Post May 19, 2010
PAUL: Well, the interesting thing is, you know, you look back to the 1950s and 1960s at the problems we faced. There were incredible problems. You know, the problems had to do with mostly voting, they had to do with schools, they had to do with public housing. And so, this is what the civil rights largely addressed, and all things that I largely agree with.

MADDOW: But what about private businesses? I mean, I hate to -- I don`t want to be badgering you on this, but I do want an answer.

PAUL: I'm not -- I'm not --

MADDOW: Do you think that a private business has the right to say we don't serve black people?

PAUL: Yes. I'm not in favor of any discrimination of any form. I would never belong to any club that excluded anybody for race. We still do have private clubs in America that can discriminate based on race.

But I think what's important about this debate is not written into any specific "gotcha" on this, but asking the question: what about freedom of speech? Should we limit speech from people we find abhorrent? Should we limit racists from speaking?

. . . MADDOW: -- for private businesses to be desegregated by the government. You're saying those people should have gone to different places? Left them segregated?

PAUL: People who commit -- people who commit violence on other individuals should go to prison and go to jail. And there's nothing we should ever do to condone violence on other individuals.

MADDOW: And should Woolworth lunch counter should have been allowed to stay segregated? Sir, just yes or no.

PAUL: What I think would happen -- what I'm saying is, is that I don't believe in any discrimination. I don't believe in any private property should discriminate either. And I wouldn't attend, wouldn't support, wouldn't go to.

But what you have to answer when you answer this point of view, which is an abstract, obscure conversation from 1964 that you want to bring up. But if you want to answer, you have to say then that you decide the rules for all restaurants and then you decide that you want to allow them to carry weapons into restaurants.

MADDOW: I can -- we could have a fight about the Second Amendment.

(CROSSTALK)

MADDOW: But I think wanting to allow private industry -- private businesses --

PAUL: It's the same fight. It's the same fight.


Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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Saturday, March 2, 2013

Maddow Calls Justice Scalia a "Troll" on The Daily Show

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Justice Scalia calls the right to vote a "racial entitlement," so Rachel Maddow calls him out for the right-wing troll that he is.



Supreme Court Transcript Here
MSNBC Host Rachel Maddow on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart:
Voting is an entitlement now. It's something that you're entitled to on the basis of your race! Wait a second - do you know how that sounds?
But I think he does know how that sounds. And that's the neat thing about being there in person because you can see, 'Oh, actually he's a troll."
(Laughter from audience)
He's saying this for effect. (more laughter)
He knows it's offensive and he's going to get a "GASP!" from the courtroom, which he got. He loves it! He's like the guy in your blog comment thread who's using the N-word - blah! (waves hands in air) "Oh, did I make you mad? If I say this will I make you mad?"
. . . He's that kind of guy. So when we're all shocked that he said something so blatantly racially offensive when we're talking about the cornerstone of the federal Civil Rights Act, he's thinking "Oh, yeah, I did!"
. . . (Justice Sotomayor was) ready for him with a rejoinder that would make him embarrassed if he wasn't a Troll who likes to make people mad.

This has led to much criticism of Justice Scalia, including one liberal commentator calling him a "Troll." As someone who covered the High Court for three years and practiced law for nine, I can say I personally object to that kind of language against the Supreme Court Justices. I don't think it does anybody any good. ~ Megyn Kelly of Fox News
This isn’t the first time Kelly and Maddow have clashed. In 2011, Kelly presented a question to her Twitter followers for “Kelly’s Court,” a legal feature during her Fox News program. The subject was a man beat a 100-pound woman into a coma, and argued that she deserved it. Kelly asked whether or not the man was “right.” An incredulous Maddow responded: “That’s a great question, Megyn Kelly, and Happy International Women’s Day to you as well,” she snarked, though noting that in the end, Kelly came in on the side of the beaten woman. ~ Inquisitr.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Right-Wing Reactions: "“a troll who loves to make people mad.” ... A perfect description of Rachel Maddow, actually. ~ Douglas on National Review MADDOW IS A BIGOT! I will repeat here what I posted in reference to the same disrespectful comments Michael Moore made about Justice Scalia: Rachel Maddow is a media thug and a bigot. That she even feels empowered to disparage Antonin Scalia is reprehensible. Maddow is the epitome of a liberal bigot - "a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group with hatred and intolerance". Definition courtesy of Merriam Webster. ~ 1stAmendment_101 on Daily Caller A bigoted troll at MSNBC accuses a man of being troll. Oh Gawd! ~ Liberal Soup & Crackers on Daily Caller The Left has managed to neuter Justice Roberts. Now they're working on Scalia (and Kagan and Sotomayor, astoundingly, have weighed in). We're living in times of great evil. ~ storibund on Daily Caller This is the kind of "deeply thoughtful" comment for which Madcow is famous. Oops? Did I just misogynistically troll for effect? ~ KomradCat on Daily Caller Left-Wing Reactions: Any reason he can't be a racist and a troll? When I heard his statements while I was driving home from work this Friday, I was literally shaking in anger so bad I had to pull over. That a jurist in our highest court in the land could be such an overt racist filled me with a rage I have not felt in a long while. This is a sad indictment on how terrible our SCOTUS has become, and future generations will likely consider it one of the worst in our history relative to the time it existed. ~ Buddha on ReaderSupportedNews I keep saying it, and I will say it again. He is showing signs of dementia. ~ capierso on ReaderSupportedNews Is Scalia a troll? Is the Pope unemployed? ~ Naithom on ReaderSupportedNews Justice Scalia is a definitely a troll, but he is a very powerful troll who is living the conservative dream of getting reshape policy without having to be accountable to either the people or the constitution. Rachel Maddow has given the world the perfect description of Antonin Scalia: The World’s Most Dangerous Troll. ~ Jason Easley on PoliticusUSA Note that Megyn didn't say Scalia isn't a troll – just that he shouldn't be called one. ~ Frankly_My_Dear on TPM So it's ok for Fox to call the president a terrorist, or secret muslim, or a communist/socialist, but referring to a Supreme Court Justice as a Troll is just a bridge too far. ~ raincntry on TPM Yeah the trolls always complain when you call out the other trolls. ~ mcc on TPM Scala is like an Italian American Archie Bunker with too much power. ~ Corkery on Huff Post What is disturbing is that we have a Supreme Court Justice who by his own words sees the Constitutionally protected right to vote as an "Entitlement." He should have never been appointed to the court. ~ BlueKoi on Huffington Post Republicans know that, by the embracement of their 'whiteness' alone, they are quickly becoming dinosaurs - and the only way they can ever win another general election is to cheat or suppress the vote. Scalia is just playing the activist judge, pandering to the needs of his far right buddies in the GOP. It's not rocket science - yet quite sad to think he represents most what has become of the SCOTUS. ~ Clevenative on Mediaite
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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Justice Scalia Says Voting Rights Act a Product of "Racial Entitlement"

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JUSTICE SCALIA: Well, maybe it was making that judgment, Mr. Verrilli. But that’s — that’s a problem that I have. This Court doesn’t like to get involved in — in racial questions such as this one. It’s something that can be left — left to Congress.

 The problem here, however, is suggested by the comment I made earlier, that the initial enactment of this legislation in a — in a time when the need for it was so much more abundantly clear was — in the Senate, there — it was double-digits against it. And that was only a 5-year term.

 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.

 I don’t think there is anything to be gained by any Senator to vote against continuation of this act. And I am fairly confident it will be reenacted in perpetuity unless — unless a court can say it does not comport with the Constitution. You have to show, when you are treating different States differently, that there’s a good reason for it.

 That’s the — that’s the concern that those of us who — who have some questions about this statute have. It’s — it’s a concern that this is not the kind of a question you can leave to Congress. There are certain districts in the House that are black districts by law just about now. And even the Virginia Senators, they have no interest in voting against this. The State government is not their government, and they are going to lose — they are going to lose votes if they do not reenact the Voting Rights Act.

 Even the name of it is wonderful: The Voting Rights Act. Who is going to vote against that in the future?

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It was unreal, unbelievable, almost shocking, for a member of the court to use certain language/
. . . It is an affront to all of what the civil rights movement stood for, what people died for, what people bled for, and those of us who marched across that bridge 48 years ago, we didn’t march for some racial entitlement. We wanted to open up the political process, and let all of the people come in, and it didn’t matter whether they were black or white, Latino, Asian-American or Native American.
. . . (the right to vote is) precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent instrument that we have in a democratic society. And if the courts come to that point where they declare this section, section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, unconstitutional, it would be a dagger in the heart of the democratic process.
~ Congressman and Civil Rights Freedom Fighter, John Lewis

There were audible gasps in the Supreme Court’s lawyers’ lounge, where audio of the oral argument is pumped in for members of the Supreme Court bar, when Justice Antonin Scalia offered his assessment of a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. He called it a “perpetuation of racial entitlement.”
~ ThinkProgress

The arguments that we heard this morning gives us cause to pause and hope that we will not have to return to the streets to secure voting rights.
~ Reverend Al Sharpton at the Rosa Parks Statue Dedication today in Washington DC, via Addicting Info

The friggin' right to vote now is an "entitlement" like Medicare or Food Stamps.
Well no, it's not actually. Under the 15th Amendment to the Constitution, 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 pre-existing condition of servitude. Well, that amendment was ratified back in 1870 under the Administration of President Grant, one of my heroes, actually.
But we all know it was put into effect after a century of poll taxes, literacy tests, and other gimmicks to keep blacks from voting only because of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Yes, Justice Scalia, it has a wonderful name, as you put it.
And the reason is not the words or the spelling or the English language in which this Act is written or spoken about.
No sir, it's about its meaning.
That the United States Congress will ensure that people get to vote in places where they weren't before.
And that, sadly, does not refer only to the segregation of the past. It refers to people out there in state capitals today, sitting in bars and over poker tables, shouting out their latest gimmick to smother the electoral impact of blacks living in large cities from Harrisburg to Tallahassee.
They outbid each other with reptilic glee over their latest legislative squirm to convert electoral majorities into electoral minorities by denying blacks the right to vote.
~ Chris Matthews on Hardball







Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act doesn't represent the 'perpetuation of racial entitlement,' as Justice Scalia states. Rather, it is one of the most important tools we have for confronting the entitlement of those who believe some people's votes and voices should matter more than others ... I hope that Scalia's fellow justices will approach this issue more thoughtfully, and with a greater awareness of the reality in their country.
~ Minister Leslie Watson Malachi, director of People for the American Way Foundation's African American Ministers Leadership Council

We disagree with Justice Antonin Scalia, who today referred to the renewal of the Voting Rights Act as the 'perpetuation of a racial entitlement,' as if racial discrimination has ended. In the past two years alone, six of the nine states fully covered by Section 5 passed restrictions that would have made it harder for people of color to vote, and many of these were blocked thanks to Section 5. The Voting Rights Act is not an 'entitlement.' It is a critically needed protection for our most fundamental right.
~ Judith Browne-Dianis of The Advancement Project

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