The SCOTUS decision rendered today should chill EVERY progressive to the bone.

Courtesy of Forbes:  

In a 5-4 decision along the ideological lines one might expect, the Supreme Court today cut out the heart and soul of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. 

While preserving the purpose and the intent of the momentous civil rights law—as set forth in Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (“VRA”) which proclaims that no American can be denied the right to vote based on their race or gender­—the Court struck down the sole method of enforcing the intent of the law. They accomplished this by declaring Section 4 of the Act, which sets forth the formula for determining which state and local governments must seek federal approval of any and all changes to their voting laws before placing the same into effect, to be unconstitutional. 

Writing for the majority, Chief Justice Roberts stated, 

“In 1965, the states could be divided into two groups: those with a recent history of voting tests and low voter registration and turnout, and those without those characteristics,” Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote for the majority. “Congress based its coverage formula on that distinction. Today the nation is no longer divided along those lines, yet the Voting Rights Act continues to treat it as if it were.” 

In other words, it is the opinion of the Court’s majority that the enforcement provisions of the Voting Rights Act worked so well that to continue enforcement under the existing scheme is unconstitutional. 

The logic of the majority represents a tragic irony given that the ruling comes at a time when minority voting rights are, once again, under severe attack as state governments under GOP control seek to rig the game in an effort to overcome the demographic and racial shifts in the electorate. These changes dramatically improve the opportunities for Democrats to gain elected office—particularly when it comes to the presidency.

I'm sorry but ANYBODY who does not recognize this as an attempt to undercut the new progressive direction the voting demographic has taken is either naive, lying to themselves, or a Republican hoping we won;t notice.

As anybody who watched the transparent and aggressive attempts to undermine the black vote in places like Ohio and Florida can attest, the need for this voting act is still clearly and obviously necessary.

So the Supreme Court sends the Voting Rights Act back to Congress for "adjustments."  This is the same Congress that could not reach an agreement on the color of the sky if somebody put a gun to their heads. 

The Court might as well have dropped it into a bottomless pit. 

What this proves, beyond any doubt in my mind, is that the Supreme Court is no longer a fair and reasonable deliberative body, that can reach decisions NOT based on partisanship and prejudice.

I am beyond worried about the upcoming decision on DOMA.