Ruth Bader Ginsburg Writes Blistering Dissent On Texas Voter ID Law
Justice Ruth Ginsburg issued a blistering dissent after Conservatives on the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Texas can use its controversial voter identification law.
Ginsburg went on to argue that the Fifth Circuit was negligent in ignoring the findings of a full trial in district court, which found that the law was “enacted with a racially discriminatory purpose and would yield a prohibited discriminatory result.”
“The potential magnitude of racially discriminatory voter disenfranchisement counseled hesitation before disturbing the District Court’s findings and final judgment,” Ginsburg wrote. “Senate Bill 14 may prevent more than 600,000 registered Texas voters (about 4.5% of all registered voters) from voting in person for lack of compliant identification. Id., at 50–51, 54. A sharply disproportionate percentage of those voters are African-American or Hispanic.”
“…Texas has been found in violation of the Voting Rights Act in every redistricting cycle from and after 1970,” she wrote.
While Republicans claim Voter ID laws are a means to uphold the integrity of the vote, it’s a thinly veiled obstacle created to stop a large number of registered voters from casting their ballots, most of them black, Hispanic and/or elderly.
Copyright 2014 Liberaland
By: Anomaly100
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Dcbos October 18th, 2014 at 14:37
Contempt by Court = Contempt of this Court . what was their justification for this decision that takes away thousand of citizens votes ; A disgrace the magnitude
Dcbos October 18th, 2014 at 14:37
Contempt by Court = Contempt of this Court . what was their justification for this decision that takes away thousand of citizens votes ; A disgrace the magnitude of the old Jim Crow laws Ok’d by the people that are supposed to protect us from thing such as this; shame.
Red Mann October 18th, 2014 at 15:37
This Supreme Court is probably the most disgraceful in American history, and that’s saying a lot. This is the legacy of three Republicans; Reagan: Scalia and Kennedy, G. H. W. Bush: Thomas and G. W. Bush: Roberts and Alito. These justices routinely vote with their ideology and religious beliefs rather than respect for the Constitution, the law and the American people (excluding corporations and religionists). The side effects of their decisions on voting, campaign funds and corporate religious rights will haunt us for decades.
Red Mann October 18th, 2014 at 15:37
This Supreme Court is probably the most disgraceful in American history, and that’s saying a lot. This is the legacy of three Republicans; Reagan: Scalia and Kennedy, G. H. W. Bush: Thomas and G. W. Bush: Roberts and Alito. These justices routinely vote with their ideology and religious beliefs rather than respect for the Constitution, the law and the American people (excluding corporations and religionists). The side effects of their decisions on voting, campaign funds and corporate religious rights will haunt us for decades.
R.J. Carter October 18th, 2014 at 15:55
Really? By claiming to be Joe Smith down the street, whom you know isn’t voting that day because he’s one of the 80% that doesn’t give a crap, and you present an ID that says you’re Jim Johnson, that wouldn’t prevent it?
Kick Frenzy October 18th, 2014 at 16:10
Sure, photo ID could prevent that type of voter fraud.
But that isn’t an issue we’ve had to deal with in any meaningful numbers.
That’s like me building a thousand foot wide moat around my house because of that one time when a few crickets got inside.
Except for the crickets would cause more of a disturbance than the amount of fraudulent votes cast in the entire history of the country.
And most of them would have made it in by flying over the moat anyway (that’s my allegory for fraud via mail-in votes, which is the majority of fraud cases).
Rusty Shackleford October 18th, 2014 at 16:23
And if we ink your finger, that means your attempt to imitate Joe disqualifies you from making your own vote. A net gain of zero for a big risk, so why would you do it?
R.J. Carter October 18th, 2014 at 18:54
Still assuming you were registered in the first place to have a vote to lose.
Rusty Shackleford October 18th, 2014 at 20:11
You think people who can’t even be bothered to register to vote care enough to risk prison committing voter fraud?
R.J. Carter October 19th, 2014 at 14:13
Depends on how close state boundaries are.
tracey marie October 18th, 2014 at 19:21
all the hard work registering people and this happens, Wendy Davis and Leticia Van De Putte have to win.
mea_mark October 18th, 2014 at 19:41
People should still show up to vote. It will take everyone longer and those without IDs can vote with provisional ballot. Perhaps if enough people show up to vote without ID and only with registration card, it can be shown clear discrimination is taking place and the state can be forced to count the provisional ballots or face additional lawsuits and run the risk of permanently being forced into undergoing preclearance.
http://votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/need-id/ —
11. What happens if I refuse to show proof of identity?
Voters who refuse to show proof of identity will be allowed to vote by provisional ballot. However, please be advised that a refusal to show ID is not a valid ground for casting a provisional ballot, and it is likely that the voter’s ballot will be rejected by the ballot board.
Please tell people to still vote, it could force Texas to abide by strict federal regulations in the future.
tracey marie October 18th, 2014 at 19:47
absolutely, at the last election there was record amounts of provisionals because of the purging
rg9rts October 19th, 2014 at 03:52
Its the only way the gopee knows how to win…cheat…Tag
tracey marie October 18th, 2014 at 19:21
all the hard work registering people and this happens, Wendy Davis and Leticia Van De Putte have to win.
mea_mark October 18th, 2014 at 19:41
People should still show up to vote. It will take everyone longer and those without IDs can vote with provisional ballot. Perhaps if enough people show up to vote without ID and only with registration card, it can be shown clear discrimination is taking place and the state can be forced to count the provisional ballots or face additional lawsuits and run the risk of permanently being forced into undergoing preclearance.
http://votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/need-id/ —
11. What happens if I refuse to show proof of identity?
Voters who refuse to show proof of identity will be allowed to vote by provisional ballot. However, please be advised that a refusal to show ID is not a valid ground for casting a provisional ballot, and it is likely that the voter’s ballot will be rejected by the ballot board.
Please tell people to still vote, it could force Texas to abide by strict federal regulations in the future.
tracey marie October 18th, 2014 at 19:47
absolutely, at the last election there was record amounts of provisionals because of the purging
rg9rts October 19th, 2014 at 03:52
Its the only way the gopee knows how to win…cheat…Tag
rg9rts October 19th, 2014 at 03:51
Ruth you are wasting your time on a court that is so far right they think Hitler is a leftist
rg9rts October 19th, 2014 at 03:51
Ruth you are wasting your time on a court that is so far right they think Hitler is a leftist
arc99 October 29th, 2014 at 13:19
to all you voter id fans, the fact that there is nothing but deafening silence from you about incidents like this one, convinces me that the goal is voter suppression and has nothing to do with electoral integrity
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/oct/27/texas-vote-id-proof-certificate-minority-law?CMP=share_btn_tw
Before SB14 came into effect, Kennie was able to vote by simply showing a voter registration card posted to his home address. Under the vastly more stringent demands of the new law, he must take with him to the polling station one of six forms of identification bearing his photograph. The problem is, he doesn’t have any of the six and there’s no way he’s going to be able to acquire one any time soon.
arc99 October 29th, 2014 at 13:19
to all you voter id fans, the fact that there is nothing but deafening silence from you about incidents like this one, convinces me that the goal is voter suppression and has nothing to do with electoral integrity
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/oct/27/texas-vote-id-proof-certificate-minority-law?CMP=share_btn_tw
Before SB14 came into effect, Kennie was able to vote by simply showing a voter registration card posted to his home address. Under the vastly more stringent demands of the new law, he must take with him to the polling station one of six forms of identification bearing his photograph. The problem is, he doesn’t have any of the six and there’s no way he’s going to be able to acquire one any time soon.