Arizona GOP all-in on ‘states’ rights’ voter suppression

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

AZConfederacyWell isn't this special. Governor Jan Brewer, who supported the U.S. Supreme Court striking down the preclearance provisions of the Voting Rights Act in Shelby County v. Holder, nevertheless is still smarting from that same court striking down Arizona's Prop. 200 proof of citizenship requirement to register to vote in Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona.

While it is a certainty that Governor Brewer does not support amendments to the Voting Rights Act which would reinvigorate its preclearance provisions, she does support an amendment to federal law to require proof of citizenship to register to vote for all Americans, not just Arizonans. Arizona's GOP voter suppression knows no limits. Brewer
backs Salmon’s voter-ID bill
:

Gov. Jan Brewer wants Congress to allow states to require citizenship
documents from all prospective voters before they can cast a ballot.

Brewer sent a letter Wednesday to U.S. Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz.,
expressing support for a bill the Mesa congressman introduced in
response to a recent Supreme Court decision on the issue. The court
ruled Arizona could demand proof of citizenship from would-be voters
only when they register using state registration forms, not federal
ones.

“The responsibility of state and local governments to protect the
integrity of the voting process is essential to maintaining the
democratic process and protecting the freedom and power of every
citizens’ vote,” Brewer wrote. “I commend your efforts to improve federal law so that only United States citizens are voting. … As a
Governor, I particularly appreciate the respect for states’ rights
inherent in this legislation.”

Salmon said he appreciated Brewer’s support.

“I’ve always been a strong proponent for States’ rights, something I
know that Governor Brewer appreciates and believes in too,” he said in a
written statement.

The bill has 27 co-sponsors, including Arizona’s three other House Republicans, but has not gone to a hearing or a vote.

Ah yes, "states' rights," the Neo-Confederate code for white privilege and minority suppression that I have heard all of my life. As I have said before, Jan Brewer is George Wallace in a dress.

Salmon also opposes voting rights as part of Congress’ attempts at
immigration reform. Instead of a path to citizenship, he prefers a
guest-worker program for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the
U.S. that would allow them to work but not vote or collect public
benefits.

That's right, not even second-class citizenship (permanent legal residents), but guest workers who can be exploited by their employers for cheap labor because they can always be deported on a moments notice. "Why don't I just call Sheriff Joe and ship your ass back to Mexico, boy?"

Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., on Thursday chaired a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on the 1965 Voting Rights Act . . . Franks was one of only 33 Republicans who voted against reauthorizing the
Voting Rights Act in 2006
and indicated he agreed with the Supreme
Court’s decision, though he said protecting voting rights is important.

Riiight. Hans von Spakovsky was your invited witness. You voted against the VRA. Spare me your lies.

When the hell did Arizona become Alabama circa 1964?

Last year "A News21 analysis of 2,068 alleged election-fraud cases since 2000 shows
that while fraud has occurred, the rate is infinitesimal, and in-person
voter impersonation on Election Day, which prompted 37 state
legislatures to enact or consider tough voter ID laws, is virtually
non-existent
." Comprehensive Database of US Voter Fraud Uncovers No Evidence That Photo ID Is Needed. This is a solution in search of a non-existent problem. "Voter ID" is synonymous with minority "voter suppression."

Our Neo-Confederate GOP congressional delegation will never get this voter suppression bill through the Demcoratic controled Senate, because there is no evidence to support it.