South Carolina voter ID law struck down

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 13: The Rev. Jesse Jackson (C) joins members of Congress (L-R) Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) and Laywers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Executive Director Barbara Arnwine for a news conference to voice opposition to state photo identification voter laws at the U.S. Capitol July 13, 2011 in Washington, DC. In what the the committee calls "vote supression legislation," eight states require photo identification for people to vote and 22 others are considering similar legislation. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (Chip Somodevilla)

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The U.S. Department of Justice rejected South Carolina's voter ID law Friday, saying the new policy doesn't do enough to ensure that minority voters aren't discriminated against.

"Until South Carolina succeeds in substantially addressing the racial disparities described above, however, the state cannot meet its burden of proving that, when compared to the benchmark standard, the voter identification requirements proposed ... will not have a retrogressive effect," Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez wrote Friday in a letter to the office of South Carolina's attorney general.

Perez said that non-whites comprise about one-third of South Carolina's registered voters and also are one-third of the registered voters who don't have the right ID necessary to vote. Perez says tens of thousands of South Carolina minorities may be unable to cast ballots.

In response, South Carolina could now sue over the rejection, pass a new law or submit more data to the Justice Department. Spokesmen for Gov. Nikki Haley and Attorney General Alan Wilson did not immediately respond to email messages sent Friday, which was a state holiday.

South Carolina's new voter ID law requires people casting ballots to show poll workers a state-issued driver's license or ID card; a U.S. military ID or a U.S. passport.

The Justice Department must approve changes to South Carolina's election laws under the federal Voting Rights Act because of the state's past failure to protect the voting rights of blacks. Groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union also are challenging it.

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by occupy_cbs December 26, 2011 9:41 AM EST: FixBayonets: "go look at Holder's background - He ordered the Tanks to burn down Wako when he was in the Justice Dept"

Typical fox/rush parrot of the delusional and desperate type, only here to spew irrational lies and deceptions!

The Waco siege occurred in early 1993 (Ruby Ridge happened in 1992 while poppy bush was president) while Eric Holder was still serving as a judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, appointed by President Reagan in 1988.

Holder stepped down from the bench in October, 1993, to accept an appointment as United States Attorney for the District of Columbia from President Bill Clinton.

Eric Holder was a U.S. Attorney until his elevation to Deputy Attorney General on June 13, 1997, almost 4 & 1/2 years AFTER Waco!

You're just making it up as you go along, as most uneducated fox/rush parrots do today, with endless lies and deceptions!; Reply to this comment


by nearl451 December 26, 2011 1:39 AM EST: A positive step for voter's rights.; Reply to this comment


by occupy_cbs December 24, 2011 7:07 PM EST: ainttaken: "The democrats have not got a chance in SC anyway.....This is simply an unconstitutional and anti democracy move by ruthless republicans who will do anything, including defile the constitution to keep someone else from voting or making a dollar they couldn't have."

Very true, just typical voter suppression in the deep redneck south, that's been going on ever since any minorities could vote!; Reply to this comment


by occupy_cbs December 24, 2011 6:31 PM EST: RetiredArmy_Nurse: "I've spotted bmallen's numerous untrue statements in the past."

Just a typical conservatroll and fox/rush parrot of lies and deceptions!; Reply to this comment

by bmallen3 December 24, 2011 2:15 PM EST

The democrats just can't stand it if there are not dead or illegal voters. Ever since Lyndon Johnson, elected by hundreds of cemetery residents, the Democrat party has fought against any form of voter ID.
Typical corruption.

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by RetiredArmy_Nurse December 24, 2011 4:04 PM EST: I won't take time to correct your untrue posting. Scroll back aways and read my previous posts. Knock off the Fox News propaganda, aka lies.


by RetiredArmy_Nurse December 25, 2011 11:42 AM EST: No, it is the republicans who have honed this talent. One of the first things they teach in their operatives' training is "suppress the vote." Good vs evil? While democrats may have shortcomings, it is republicans who appear to be truly evil--or perhaps just ignorant. This is a party that denies factual science, repudiates social progress, defunds education, and destroys workers rights, not to mention voters' rights. I'm guessing ignorance is behind this, but the result is pure evil.

by occupy_cbs December 24, 2011 12:17 PM EST

After the backroom deal known as the "Compromise of 1877," white-racists throughout the country were given free reign to oppress and persecute non-whites.

Legal disenfranchisement: New state laws are passed to sabotage and render ineffective the 15th Amendment.

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RobAla: "The 1960's were half a century ago, and times have changed."
=====

Thanks for proving my point, that there is absolutely no difference between 1877, the 1960's and 2011, with the GOP white supremacist party at it again, passing new state laws designed to sabotage and render ineffective the 15th Amendment, as well as the 1965 Voter Rights Act.

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by 44wonder December 24, 2011 3:18 PM EST: Give us a break occupy_cbs and take a breath and rest your fingers...Your rambling again as usual...


by RetiredArmy_Nurse December 25, 2011 12:12 PM EST: Dear logic, read your history again. The parties made an ideological switch starting around 1890 thru 1920. The party of Lincoln exists no more in the republican party. I wrote a paper on this for my master's degree, so I had to research it pretty well.


by occupy_cbs December 24, 2011 12:12 PM EST: After the backroom deal known as the "Compromise of 1877," white-racists throughout the country were given free reign to oppress and persecute non-whites.

Legal disenfranchisement: New state laws are passed to sabotage and render ineffective the 15th Amendment.

=====
logicnothuff: "That was then, and this is now."
=====

Thanks for proving my point, that there is absolutely no difference between 1877 and 2011, with the GOP white supremacist party at it again, passing new state laws designed to sabotage and render ineffective the 15th Amendment, as well as the 1965 Voter Rights Act.; Reply to this comment

by occupy_cbs December 24, 2011 12:01 PM EST

logicnothuff: "There was voter fraud in the Al Franken election"

Typical fox/rush parrot, 'trying' to interject an unfounded accusation of 'voter fraud,' without any proof whatsoever, because they didn't like the outcome of the election!

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by RetiredArmy_Nurse December 24, 2011 1:10 PM EST: Minnesota is like Wisconsin used to be. They have one of the best election systems in the nation. Every last vote had to be counted and Franken did win in the end. Problem is that people even listen to Fox News. It is not news, but rather just a propaganda station. In the Army we called propaganda what it is, just a pack of lies. And that is what you get on Fox News. Best advice I can give is go to NPR, CNN, CBS, NBC. They all try to get the facts straight as best they can. This is not true of Fox. People who only listen to Fox are less informed than those who listen to no news at all.


by occupy_cbs December 24, 2011 1:52 PM EST: Fox News Viewers Know Less Than People Who Don't Watch Any News

Some News Leaves People Knowing Less
http://publicmind.fdu.edu/2011/knowless/

by occupy_cbs December 24, 2011 11:49 AM EST

logicnothuff: "Fox News .....providing FACTS instead of propaganda."

Thanks for proving my point, and not knowing what "facts" really are!

Fox News Viewers Know Less Than People Who Don't Watch Any News

Some News Leaves People Knowing Less
http://publicmind.fdu.edu/2011/knowless/

Hey illogical -- keep parroting that nasty fox/rush propaganda!

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by occupy_cbs December 24, 2011 12:02 PM EST: Nice blanket accusation, but again, like a typical fox/rush parrot of endless propaganda, doesn't even pass the 'smell' test!

by occupy_cbs December 24, 2011 11:44 AM EST

1870: 15th Amendment extends vote to Blacks.

Adoption of the 15th Amendment in 1870 extends voting rights to Black males -- in theory.

In reality, there is massive resistance to the intent of the 15th Amendment, particularly in the Southern states. Violence and economic reprisal are used to intimidate and prevent Black men from voting.

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vsmit: "By your logic we should allow the English to vote because we disenfranchised them in 1776!"
=====

Which country around the world, allows citizens and residents of OTHER countries to vote in their elections?.......NONE!

Go fish, you misinformed fox/rush parrot!

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by occupy_cbs December 24, 2011 12:03 PM EST: Again....Which country around the world, allows citizens and residents of OTHER countries to vote in their elections?.......NONE!

Go fish, you misinformed fox/rush parrot!