States’ Rights Are Back with a Vengeance

We think of the federal government as having gobbled up and pre-empted so much power at the expense of the state, but right now, when you look at abortion rights, voting rights, and gay marriage, the states are very much in control of whether or not we get to exercise our constitutional rights.  If you live in a GOP-controlled state, fuhgeddaboudit.

Interesting Note On Supreme Court Voter Registration Decision

In his dissent to the Supreme Court’s decision striking down Arizona’s voter registration law, Clarence Thomas cited Bush v. Gore.  That should have given him a clue he was on the wrong side.

Supremes Strike Down Arizona Voting Law

By a 7-2 vote (Alito and Thomas dissenting), the Supreme Court struck down Arizona’s law requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote in a federal election.  They held that the 1993 National Voter Registration Act trumps the more restrictive state law.  The federal law requires that you show I. D. like a driver’s license and sign a statement that you are a citizen.

The ruling will strike down similar laws in Georgia, Alabama, and Kansas.