GOP Halts Extension of Voting Rights Act

A House vote to renew the landmark 1965 law is held up by objections over federal oversight of nine states and ballots in foreign languages.
By Johanna Neuman, Times Staff Writer
June 22, 2006

WASHINGTON — The Voting Rights Act, which has protected minority voters from discrimination since its passage more than 40 years ago, appeared headed for an easy reaffirmation in the House on Wednesday — until conflicts old and new clouded its future.

Amid wide bipartisan support — the House Judiciary Committee approved the measure last month by a 33-1 vote — Republican leaders scheduled a floor debate, hoping to use the bill's passage for an election-year outreach to minority voters. The landmark legislation is due to expire next year, and advocacy groups have been pressing for its renewal for another 25 years.

But in a private morning meeting, Republicans raised objections that forced House leaders to yank the bill from the floor.

One concern had its roots in the bill's origins. The legislation requires nine states with a documented history of discrimination against black voters — such as poll taxes and literacy tests — to get Justice Department approval for their election laws.

Another objection, a spillover from the contentious debate on immigration, had to do with requirements in some states for ballots printed in several languages and the presence of interpreters at polling places where large numbers of citizens speak limited English.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-voting22jun22,0,1505421.story?coll=la-home-headlines

There was an extensive campaign a few years ago to convince black people that news of the coming end of the Voting Rights Act was bogus.

What's the deal?

--p!

because the right-wing wacko base that votes for repukes, you know, the KKK, the Nazi party, didn't want to give minorities any chance to complain when the repukes rigged the election again.

Quick Florida and Ohio, reinstate a poll tax or a voting Literacy test because with the Voting Rights Act out of the way, the federal government has no way to enforce the 15th Amendment. That should ensure a repuke win because every person who will be prevented from voting will have to file a separate suit and by the time they win their thousands of lawsuits, well the repukes will have been in charge for at least another 8 years.

Better watch out minorities, the act expires in 2007 and Raygun thought it was so unimportant that he fought against making it a permanent law. I wonder if Condi will pay her poll tax when she goes to vote? Will they make Powell take a literacy test? Do you think our congress really wants minorities to vote?