Funny, it seems the Democrats are out peddling rumor and fear again ... enough so for the Department of Justice to place this announcement on their website ...
"The Department of Justice has received numerous inquiries concerning a rumor that has been intermittently circulating around the nation for many months. According to this rumor, the Voting Rights Act will expire in 2007, and as a result African Americans are in danger of losing the right to vote in that year.
The rumor is false. The voting rights of African Americans are guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Voting Rights Act, and those guarantees are permanent and do not expire."
I don't think Republicans were spreading this particular rumor!
The announcement goes on to point out that only three provisions of the VRA are actually set to expire - in 2007 - but those provisions, should they expire, will not cause African Americans to lose the vote.
And it seems that Jesse Jackson and the old civil rights warhorses are taking to the streets calling for these provisions to be renewed.
Let me tell you what I think about that ...
First, while I was growing up, I rember many white Southerners who complained about the South being "singled out" for specific voting rights laws.
Second, the VRA does nothing to address minority voter supression tactics in any state other than certain Southern states. So this act does nothing to address voter discrimination in a place such as, say - Oregon.
Third - having said all that - I support RENEWING all three of the provisions that are set to expire in 2007!
And here's why...
It's a nothing, "feel good" law. It's basically transparent to the average Southerner - both black and white. Sure, the VRA is there - but we've lived with it so long - it's not a inconvienience to us these days. The law has no affect on us really in the integrated "New South". You could pass a law down here forbidding lobster fishing in the South too - and we'd greet that law with a similar "yawn". There's no lobster down here to fish - so who cares?
Also, under the VRA - the DEMOCRATS have virtually become extinct in the South - and the few Democrats who remain in office at the national level quite frequently vote with the REPUBLICANS on issues of substance. Look at the map folks - solid RED down here south of the Mason-Dixon. Al Gore couldn't even carry his own state back in the 2000 election!
So I say - "why mess with success?"
Under the VRA - the "old" South that was dominated by racism and the Democratic party - was replaced by the "new" South of integration and tolerance - even harmony - under the REPUBLICAN party!
And for any of my fellow Conservative Southerners who still have it "stuck in their craw" because the VRA only applies to Southern states - I simply say ...
Seriously - the South has real political power again - and this time it's for the right reasons - it's because we're on the RIGHT side of the issues. Quite a departure from the past when we, led by the Democratic party, simply defended some pretty stupid ideas (and institutions) out of nothing more than pride and a desire to thumb our noses at "Yankees".
Just look here at this BIG 'OLE RED MAP!
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