XDA

Here, in its entirety, is Josh Marshall describing what 'takes your (his) breath away.'

I hope this doesn’t just state the obvious. But it is simply amazing to watch how Southern states, ruled by Republicans, have moved so quickly, after the Supreme Court’s VRA decision to push through a series of new laws the only aim of which is to limit black voting: voter ID laws, ends to same day registration, early voting, weekend voting. Here’s yet another example from North Carolina. But we noted numerous other examples within a day of the decision coming down.

Okay, sure, what did I expect? I’ve been writing about this for years. Everything I’ve written and so many other better than I could has predicted this. But still, to see it, it’s another thing again. This is supposed to be the 21st century. And yet, in a broad swath of the society we’re in an ersatz version of the late 19th century.

Josh is a smart guy who went to Princeton and got a PhD in history from Brown, so I won't insult your intelligence by implying he has no knowledge of American history. But let's look a little closer at some of his statements.

"[The Republican southern states are passing] a series of new laws the only aim of which is to limit black voting:..." (Emphasis added).

I'm willing to bet their only aim is to help prevent voter fraud. Josh lists what laws he's talking about: "voter ID laws" (I'm assuming this means having to show state issued photo IDs in order to register or to vote--can blacks not obtain these IDs? Why not?) But wouldn't the actual aim of this law be merely to require someone voting to prove he or she is who he or she says he or she is? Do the laws Josh talk about only require blacks to show IDs? Very doubtful. That would violate the 15th Amendment which passed in the House with out a single Democrat vote. So he has made a claim but he hasn't said why repressing black voter ID is the only aim of this law. Typical. Let's look at the next law discussed.

"...ends to same day registration" Again, why would that only repress black voter turnout? No hint. I guess we're supposed to trust him because he knows. Next.

"[end to] early voting" Why would having to vote on election day repress only black voter turnout? It wouldn't. Next.

"[end of] weekend voting" Why would having to vote on election day repress only black voter turnout? Here's the big finish.

[The Republicans in the southern states are seeking to create] an ersatz version of the late 19th century.

Well, in the late 19th century the southern states were governed by Jim Crow Democrats. Is Josh saying the Republicans are trying to be like the racist, segregationist Democrats of more than a century ago? Based on what?
Let me venture a guess about Josh's thinking here. The Democrats pass laws whose only aim is to give political advantage to the Democrats. If the Republicans are seeking to pass legislation, then they too must necessarily be aiming only to get a political advantage.

But there is no reason for Democrats to think or to say that. They project what they would be doing with the anti-voter fraud legislation Josh is talking about here.

Labels: Democrat Projection; Voter Suppression