While Republicans in Arizona and the rest of the nation were dancing in the street after yesterdays Supreme Court Ruling validating two Arizona voting laws that seemingly make it harder for certain groups like Native Americans to vote (and Justice Alito's opinion giving credence to the specter of nonexistent voter fraud,), the reaction among Democrats in the real world has been the exact opposite in the country and Grand Canyon State.
President Joe Biden issued a White House statement which read:
"I am deeply disappointed in today’s decision by the United States Supreme Court that undercuts the Voting Rights Act, and upholds what Justice Kagan called “a significant race-based disparity in voting opportunities.”
In a span of just eight years, the Court has now done severe damage to two of the most important provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 – a law that took years of struggle and strife to secure.
After all we have been through to deliver the promise of this Nation to all Americans, we should be fully enforcing voting rights laws, not weakening them. Yet this decision comes just over a week after Senate Republicans blocked even a debate – even consideration – of the For the People Act that would have protected the right to vote from action by Republican legislators in states across the country.
While this broad assault against voting rights is sadly not unprecedented, it is taking on new forms. It is no longer just about a fight over who gets to vote and making it easier for eligible voters to vote. It is about who gets to count the vote and whether your vote counts at all.
Our democracy depends on an election system built on integrity and independence. The attack we are seeing today makes clearer than ever that additional laws are needed to safeguard that beating heart of our democracy. We must also shore up our election security to address the threats of election subversion from abroad and at home.
Today’s decision also makes it all the more imperative to continue the fight for the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore and expand voting protections. The Court’s decision, harmful as it is, does not limit Congress’ ability to repair the damage done today: it puts the burden back on Congress to restore the Voting Rights Act to its intended strength.
That means forging a coalition of Americans of every background and political party – from advocates, activists, and business executives – to raise the urgency of the moment and demand that our democracy truly reflects the will of the people and that it delivers for the Nation.
That is what Vice President Harris and I will continue to do.
This is our life’s work and the work of all of us.
Democracy is on the line.
We can do this together."
Democratic Party National Chairperson Jamie Harrison released a statement which said:
“The DNC challenged two Arizona laws in 2016 that were intended to, and did, have a suppressive effect on the votes of minorities. One law resulted in the rejection of the votes of minorities by a ratio of 2:1. The other law effectively ended the ballot collection process that many minority communities in Arizona rely upon, particularly on Native American lands.
“We’re disappointed in the Court’s ruling today, but we will continue to work to make sure every voter’s vote is counted and protected. This ruling is exactly why we urgently need to take action at the state and federal levels to protect voters from Republicans’ unprecedented efforts to undermine the right to vote
“All Americans should have the same opportunity to exercise their right to vote. Every person’s vote should be counted and treated in the same manner.”
Arizona Secretary of State and Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Katie Hobbs posted on social media:
“For our government to work for us, it must include all of us. As our state’s Chief Election Officer, I will never stop fighting against unnecessary and discriminatory barriers to voting here. While legislatures across the country—including right here in Arizona—pass partisan laws that create new barriers to the ballot box, today’s decision makes one thing clear: Congress must act to protect voting rights.
"The Voting Rights Act was passed to protect the right to vote and to fight against racial discrimination. The Supreme Court weakened one of our country’s landmark civil rights laws. It is truly a sad day for the future of our democracy.
"This decision upholds the criminalization of neighbors for helping one another vote, allows for entire ballots to be disregarded if the voter goes to the wrong polling place, and will make it more difficult for voters to rely on the VRA to fight discriminatory voting rules and policies. All of this underscores how urgently we need stronger voter protections at the state and federal level."
Arizona Democratic Party Chairperson Raquel Teran issued a statement that read:
“This disappointing Supreme Court decision is an attack on Arizonans trying to exercise their right to vote. But, even in the face of this decision, Arizona Democrats are organized earlier than ever before to inform Arizonans on how to overcome these restrictions and make their voices heard at the ballot box.
“It’s impossible to ignore that this ruling and these voter restriction laws are the culmination of Republicans’ longtime efforts to sow distrust and doubt in our election system, with politicians like Mark Brnovich leading the charge. In open court, the Arizona Republican Party’s own lawyer admitted that the purpose of the laws was to gain political advantage. This is just the latest proof that Republican leaders are willing to betray Arizona voters for their own political gain.”
Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cazares-Kelly stated:
"We are witnessing a historic attack on voting rights. The 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision allowed voter suppression tactics like the ballot collection prohibition to be passed. In this year’s legislative session, we have seen a record-breaking number of bills introduced in state legislatures across the nation aimed at disenfranchising voters. It has never been clearer that we need strong protections for voters of color, and it is appalling to see further weakening of the Voting Rights Act through today’s decision..."
"...Now, more than ever, as many Arizonans have leaned on their neighbors for help with basic needs during a global pandemic, we see the disparity of resources in our communities. This decision prohibits neighbors from helping neighbors to vote and we are disappointed with the Court’s decision, to say the least. Today’s decision from the Court completely disregards the present-day racial disparities in access to voting and allows us to continue to challenge white supremacist laws and policies in the election process. I hope Congress will recognize the racial disparities in access to voting, end the filibuster, and pass both the For the People Act and the John Lewis Act to protect the right to vote for marginalized communities. These bills will be a step in the right direction to allow everyone to participate in our democracy.”
Nancy Schriber, the chairperson of the Maricopa County Democratic Party commented in a mailer:
"Earlier today, the Supreme Court upheld two restrictive Arizona laws. As a result, thousands of Arizona voters - predominantly voters of color - will face tedious and onerous obstacles to cast ballots. This ruling will disenfranchise thousands of Arizona voters who consistently vote for Democrats.
Republicans and their appointed Supreme Court Justices are sending a message. They will do anything to shape laws that favor the Republican Party."
Vote Latino President Maria Teresa Kumar wrote:
"Let’s call this ruling what it is: a full-on adoption by the Supreme Court’s conservative justices of Donald Trump and the Republican Party’s ‘Big Lie.’ It furthers the belief that Arizona’s restrictive voting laws reasonably guard against nonexistent voter fraud when in reality, they explicitly discriminate against and disproportionately impact voters of color."
“The real-time dismantling of the Voting Rights Act, now diminishing Section 2’s safeguards that protect against bills disadvantaging voters by race, is a worrisome setback to overturning the dozens of discriminatory laws being pushed, and passed, across state legislatures. By disallowing the collection and delivery of completed ballots, and requiring officials to throw out ballots accidentally cast in the wrong precinct, we are actively seeking ways to make it harder to vote, disenfranchising voters who may need assistance reaching faraway polling places, or penalizing them for not keeping up with the ever-changing location of precincts."
“These laws disproportionately target Arizona’s Latinx voters, its indigenous voters, and all voters of color, as well as low-income voters. It also sends the wrong message to young Latino voters, who made up over 27 percent of Arizona’s electorate in 2020 and is growing, making it harder for them to participate. This is not how we create a more inclusive democracy that ensures every voice can be heard in our elections.”
With this decision, it is apparent that Congress must act and pass versions of the For the People and John Lewis Acts that stop the actions certain red and purple states have already taken and what they plan to do next year. If it necessitates a carve out of the Senate filibuster to do it, so be it.
It is also vital that citizen activists like those in Arizona create ballot inititaives/referendums that seek to stop the worst voting suppression measures passed by the state legislatures work to submit the required signatures into the Secretary of States office in the 90 day allowed period.
If possible, the Biden/Harris Administration and Democrats should use the coming reconciliation budget measure to pass monies to build more post office boxes on Native American nations and hire qualified individuals to help get out the vote in 2022 and 2024.
The war for Democracy and truth is on.
It is time to defeat the forces of autocracy and the Big Lie forever and consign them to the dustbin of history.
No comments:
Post a Comment