Supreme Court Considers Gutting Black Representation, Again
The AP warns that a Supreme Court ruling could 'trigger a political avalanche' by limiting race-based districts under the Voting Rights Act. They detail how this could benefit Republicans and lead to the loss of Black representation. What the AP delicately sidesteps is that the 'avalanche' began long ago. This Court's conservative majority (appointed by Presidents who benefited from voter
suppression) previously gutted Section 5 of the VRA in Shelby County v. Holder (2013), claiming 'racial discrimination no longer exists' in voting. Ten years later, surprise—it appears to have made a comeback. We're told this case 'could' turn a Democratic district Republican. Historians might recall how 'gerrymandering' has been used since Reconstruction to dilute Black votes, a practice the VRA
was designed to combat. The Court isn't just 'willing to limit race-based districts'; it's merely completing the job it started a decade ago. How many times can a fundamental right be 'neutered' before it's simply dead?