Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #602 - Voting Discrimmination and Resistance
Hi Mom,
Twitter will always provide. I had no plan for today's post. Actually, untrue. I had a plan, but the original content is not yet finished, so that plan got scrapped, and then I didn't have a plan.
I rarely open the entire Twitter feed and look at it. I follow A LOT of Twitter accounts. Twitter tells me this is only 425 accounts, but the fire house gusher it represents makes it seem like a lot more.
I let a trickle of this feed through to my phone as text messages as a way to see just the activity of a VERY select few, and still that collection of posts since I last checked last night is at 24 texts.
It's difficult for me to be swiftly topical anymore. This news came out yesterday and it's late Tuesday before I get anything posted. Since I am happy when I post anything at all, I am not worried about it.
So, on that subject of Twitter and the trickle I let through to my phone, when I checked last night there was this lovely article about the reversal of the Department of Justice's traditional position in siding with citizens in issues regarding Voter ID laws.
The GOP wants to exclude everyone who does not vote its way from voting as the reality (those in touch with the reality) of its margin of victory was too slim. In fact, nonexistent when it came to the "presidency," as Trump DID NOT win the popular vote no matter what he wants his Fox News numbed followers to believe.
So, I just look at Twitter to get this post ready and then there's THIS:
https://twitter.com/scottbix/status/836368241278738432
And that's a whole other subject....
Remember, my post about punching a Nazi? HERE IT IS - IT'S OKAY TO PUNCH A NAZI - hey mom #572 - (if not).
Let me table that for now and let this just SIT HERE AS A great big fuck you from the Trump administration.
It's going to be like this from now on, right? The only day I am not upset to my very core is the day I isolate myself completely from the news.
But today is not about the renewed rise of anti-Semitism in our country, which has never gone away, but about resistance to this "administration" and this debacle in Texas with the Voter ID laws.
So, before the sad news about Texas (a state that maybe really should be its own country) and the Department of Justice's horrible ruling on Voter ID laws, here's an email from MoveOn.org and the need for funds and RESISTANCE today of all days, February 28th, 2017.
EMAIL FROM MoveOn.org
Dear fellow MoveOn member,
Resistance is more than a slogan—it’s a movement. A people-powered movement supported and fueled by countless Americans, including millions of MoveOn members like you.
This Tuesday, February 28, Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress for the first time. His speechwriter is Stephen Miller, who helped draft the Muslim ban and who has championed discriminatory and harmful policies. We can expect that this speech will be filled with more of the same prejudiced agenda that undermines our shared values and equality. But, frankly, it doesn't matter what Trump says on Tuesday—his actions in his first 30 days in office speak for themselves.
This is why MoveOn is partnering with close friends and allies of mine to organize a rally—called "Resistance Address: Defending American Values in a Time of Moral Crisis"—that will take place outside the White House before Trump gives his speech to Congress.
We will continue to resist, but MoveOn needs your support to fuel the resistance with more events like Tuesday night's "Resistance Address," and all of the actions and tactics we need to keep building the resistance. Can you pitch in $5 a month?
We will continue to resist, but MoveOn needs your support to fuel the resistance with more events like Tuesday night's "Resistance Address," and all of the actions and tactics we need to keep building the resistance. Can you pitch in $5 a month?
Tuesday's rally will feature people and speakers from organizations who represent the most vulnerable communities, those under attack from the Trump administration. At Tuesday'srally, we will talk about standing up for our moral values and not giving in to the oppression manifested in one hateful Trump administration executive order after another.
After Tuesday, as we continue to march, stand united, and fight back, we need groups like MoveOn to help channel and guide this grassroots resistance—every day, every week, every month, and onward, in the long struggle ahead.
Thanks for all you do.
–Mark
P.S. For those of you who can't be in Washington on Tuesday, we’ll be livestreaming the rally on social media—follow the #ResistanceAddress hashtag and watch live on MoveOn's Facebook page, starting at 6 p.m. ET (5 CT/4 MT/3 PT).
P.P.S. Tonight, Sunday, February 26 at 8 p.m. ET (7 CT/6 MT/5 PT), MoveOn will host a "Ready to Resist: What's Next after #ResistanceRecess" conference call. If you haven't RSVP'd already, click here.
Want to support MoveOn's work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump's agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation's pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. Will you stand with MoveOn?
FROM - http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/texas-voter-id-reversal-doj
 |
| Jeff Sessions |
The Sessions Effect: Trump DOJ Reverses Course In Major Texas Voter ID Case
ByALICE OLLSTEINPublishedFEBRUARY 27, 2017, 12:47 PM EDT
For the last six years, the Justice Department has sided with the citizens and
civil rights groups fighting Texas' voter ID law, which a federal judge at one point
found to be intentionally discriminatory against black and Latino voters. But its position changed Monday when the department decided to drop its claim
that Republican state lawmakers enacted the law to make it harder
for minorities to vote.
civil rights groups fighting Texas' voter ID law, which a federal judge at one point
found to be intentionally discriminatory against black and Latino voters. But its position changed Monday when the department decided to drop its claim
that Republican state lawmakers enacted the law to make it harder
for minorities to vote.
"This signals to voters that they will not be protected under this administration,"
said Danielle Lang, the deputy director of voting rights at the Campaign
Legal Center, which is challenging Texas' law in court.
said Danielle Lang, the deputy director of voting rights at the Campaign
Legal Center, which is challenging Texas' law in court.
The reversal, on the eve of a key hearing in the case, is a clear sign
of the DOJ's direction under Attorney General Jeff Sessions—a longtime advocate
of voter ID laws and other voting restrictions. The department signaled its intentions
last week when it joined with the state of Texas to ask the court to hold off on judging
the constitutionality of the law until Republican lawmakers can modify it. The court rejected this request.
of the DOJ's direction under Attorney General Jeff Sessions—a longtime advocate
of voter ID laws and other voting restrictions. The department signaled its intentions
last week when it joined with the state of Texas to ask the court to hold off on judging
the constitutionality of the law until Republican lawmakers can modify it. The court rejected this request.
Lang told TPM that the DOJ reached out Monday morning to her and the other voting rights groups fighting the law to notify them of their new position.
On Tuesday, DOJ lawyers will appear before U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales
Ramos and inform her that the federal government is dismissing its claim
that the voter ID law was crafted with a discriminatory intent.
Ramos and inform her that the federal government is dismissing its claim
that the voter ID law was crafted with a discriminatory intent.
“There have been six years of litigation and no change in the facts,” Lang told TPM.
“We have already had a nine-day trial and presented thousands of pages of
documents demonstrating that the picking and choosing of what IDs count was
entirely discriminatory and would fall more harshly on minority voters.
So for the DOJ to come in and drop those claims just because of a change of
administration is outrageous.”
documents demonstrating that the picking and choosing of what IDs count was
entirely discriminatory and would fall more harshly on minority voters.
So for the DOJ to come in and drop those claims just because of a change of
administration is outrageous.”
In a filing late Monday afternoon (see below) the Department of Justice informed
the court that they will drop their claim that the law has a discriminatory purpose,
citing "the comity necessary in our system of federalism." The department asked the
court to dismiss their claim of discriminatory purpose without prejudice. The
groups suing Texas over the law, including the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and
the Campaign Legal Center, will continue to fight to prove discriminatory purpose
despite the loss of the DOJ's support.
the court that they will drop their claim that the law has a discriminatory purpose,
citing "the comity necessary in our system of federalism." The department asked the
court to dismiss their claim of discriminatory purpose without prejudice. The
groups suing Texas over the law, including the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and
the Campaign Legal Center, will continue to fight to prove discriminatory purpose
despite the loss of the DOJ's support.
"We will move forward," Lang said. "None of the record evidence has changed.
We fully expect to prevail."
We fully expect to prevail."
Texas enacted the strict voter ID law in 2011, and it has been tied up in court
battles ever since. Civil rights groups say the policy, which accepts gun licenses
but not student IDs at the polls, discriminates against low-income and minority
voters who are far less likely to possess an ID and face difficulties obtaining one.
In some parts of the state, the groups argued in court, people would have to
drive more than 100 miles to reach the nearest office where they could obtain
an ID—a burden many cannot overcome.
battles ever since. Civil rights groups say the policy, which accepts gun licenses
but not student IDs at the polls, discriminates against low-income and minority
voters who are far less likely to possess an ID and face difficulties obtaining one.
In some parts of the state, the groups argued in court, people would have to
drive more than 100 miles to reach the nearest office where they could obtain
an ID—a burden many cannot overcome.
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the state from fully enforcing the law
for the 2016 presidential election—a move that preserved the voting rights
of more than 16,000 Texans, according to state records. Last summer, the
appeals court agreed with the challengers, which then included the Justice
Department, that the law had the effect of discriminating against minority
voters, but it sent the question of whether the law was intentionally
discriminatory back to the district court for further review after the election.
The district court will hear arguments on that question in the hearing scheduled for Tuesday, but the Justice Department will no longer be on the side of voting rights advocates.
for the 2016 presidential election—a move that preserved the voting rights
of more than 16,000 Texans, according to state records. Last summer, the
appeals court agreed with the challengers, which then included the Justice
Department, that the law had the effect of discriminating against minority
voters, but it sent the question of whether the law was intentionally
discriminatory back to the district court for further review after the election.
The district court will hear arguments on that question in the hearing scheduled for Tuesday, but the Justice Department will no longer be on the side of voting rights advocates.
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Reflect and connect.
Have someone give you a kiss, and tell you that I love you.
I miss you so very much, Mom.
Talk to you tomorrow, Mom.
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- Days ago = 604 days ago
- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1702.28 - 10:10
NOTE on time: When I post late, I had been posting at 7:10 a.m. because Google is on
Pacific Time, and so this is really 10:10 EDT. However, it still shows up on the blog in Pacific time.
So, I am going to start posting at 10:10 a.m. Pacific time, intending this to be 10:10 Eastern time.
I know this only matters to me, and to you, Mom. But I am not going back and changing all the
7:10 a.m. times. But I will run this note for a while. Mom, you know that I am posting at
10:10 a.m. often because this is the time of your death.
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