And Now What?

   Politico reports that many Republicans were muted in their reaction to today's U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.
     Not in Alabama, where the GOP sent out a news release declaring victory. quoting Chairman Bill Armistead:

"The Supreme Court's decision today to rule Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act Unconstitutional is a testament to how far we have come as a state and as a nation in the area of fair and free elections. Attorney General Eric Holder should not have the power to play political games with the voting laws in Alabama and thanks to the courage of Shelby County; he no longer has that power. "

"Minority voting in Alabama has been higher in years past than in some areas that weren't subject to pre-clearance. That goes to show that Alabama has come a long way since 1965 and as a result deserves better treatment than it has been given for nearly 50 years"

Alabama Democrats were appalled, but there was nary a word from the official Democratic Party, which may be busy with bake sales to pay the (overdue_ rent. The last "news" on their web site was the passing early this month of Barbara Bobo.

The splinter Alabama Democratic Majority group reacted with a warning from Mark Kennedy: with no Justice Department review, photo I.D. is only an election away:

In 2011, the Republican supermajority in the legislature passed a law requiring voters to present an official, government-issued photo ID to vote. As of today, Republican Attorney General Luther Strange still had not sent the law to the U.S. Department of Justice for approval. Now that the Supreme Court’s ruling has effectively nullified the pre-clearance requirement, Republican Secretary of State Beth Chapman says she’s ready to announce and enforce the photo ID law they passed over two years ago. What perfect timing. It’s as if they were waiting for today’s ruling so they can finally disenfranchise potentially thousands of Alabama voters.

CBS reported that the very partisan, split Congress is considering the next step, while President Obama was somewhat muted too.


     And Chief Justice Robert writing, Congress is the next step: which areas of America are still so racist they deserve Justice Department oversight?

”Congress — if it is to divide the States — must identify those jurisdictions to be singled out on a basis that makes sense in light of current conditions. It cannot rely simply on the past,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote. “Our country has changed, and while any racial discrimination in voting is too much, Congress must ensure that the legislation it passes to remedy that problem speaks to current conditions.”

Is Alabama an automatic "in"?