Comments on: "Just like, really, with the Voting Rights Act, Republicans have some fundamental philosophical difficulties with the whole notion of Equal Protection."

"Just like, really, with the Voting Rights Act, Republicans have some fundamental philosophical difficulties with the whole notion of Equal Protection."

expriest — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 14:31:55 -0800

"Just like, really, with the Voting Rights Act, Republicans have some fundamental philosophical difficulties with the whole notion of Equal Protection." Ben Ginsberg, who was Chief Counsel for both Bush campaigns, dropped this gem in a speech at Duke Law School. The quote was made in the context of a discussion of Bush v. Gore and the Florida recount. (link is video, quote comes around 38:30).

By: caddis

caddis — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 14:41:40 -0800

Do you really expect us to download and watch this thing? How about a transcript, at least of the relevant parts?

By: stenseng

stenseng — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 14:45:40 -0800

What's so tough? I clicked the link, dragged the slider to about 37:00 and watched the clip.

By: caddis

caddis — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 14:54:20 -0800

So then what was the quote?

By: Witty

Witty — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 14:56:41 -0800

Surely, something about gays or negros.

By: wakko

wakko — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 15:04:15 -0800

well, he's right.

By: wakko

wakko — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 15:04:42 -0800

and, of course, witty brings his tiresome pseudo-humor to the table.

By: monju_bosatsu

monju_bosatsu — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 15:05:49 -0800

Nice, taking the quote of of context, and all.

By: amberglow

amberglow — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 15:06:17 -0800

well, now they have the Supreme Court: they'll eliminate that whole pesky voting thing, and that pesky rights and protections thing entirely. That he can speak so unashamedly tells you all you need to know.

By: caddis

caddis — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 15:07:11 -0800

fifteen minutes waiting for this to load enough to see the 37 minute mark and still not there (and over a T3 line). meh.

By: Witty

Witty — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 15:11:18 -0800

Well wakko, you can always scamper off to Meta where everyone can pat you on the back for being such a good little soldier. Now, what did you think about the quote?

By: boaz

boaz — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 15:15:58 -0800

I kinda remember while listening to the Roberts senate hearings, that he had been involved in the re-instating of the Voting Rights Act in 1984 as White House Counsel. IIRC, there was some abstruse principle wherein the Reagan administration wanted to reword or drop a section that declared statutes that effected minority participation would be illegal, even if they were not intended to harm minorities. But then Coburn went on some 45 minute rant about how Science was opposed to abortion and I lost track of the whole argument.

By: mkultra

mkultra — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 15:25:02 -0800

It is... strange and disorienting... to hear this thing you call... "truth"...

By: j-urb

j-urb — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 17:01:32 -0800

Democracy is dead. The future of the world is a police state.

By: mek

mek — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 17:33:54 -0800

Democracy is dead. The future of the world is a police state. posted by j-urb at 5:01 PM PST on February 1 [!] America /= world.

By: Smedleyman

Smedleyman — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 18:00:59 -0800

Police states are the new black. What's this about America not being the world?

By: namespan

namespan — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 18:14:27 -0800

Wasn't equal protection part of the legal argument that put Bush into office in the first place?

By: hank

hank — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 18:25:07 -0800

Yes, he's been against it all along.

By: aramaic

aramaic — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 18:40:44 -0800

America /= world What, you think your gov't isn't reading from the same playbook? Perhaps you haven't been paying attention to recent developments. ...and that was before the recent election.

By: Cyrano

Cyrano — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 20:35:23 -0800

well, now they have the Supreme Court: they'll eliminate that whole pesky voting thing, and that pesky rights and protections thing entirely. And should this actually happen, I'll be the first to publicly retract my next statement in any public forum that The Government chooses for you, but until then... Please. Stop. Saying. Shit. Like. That. It. Makes. Us. All. Look. Stupid.

By: Astro Zombie

Astro Zombie — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 20:53:50 -0800

As do meaningful pauses indicated by periods.

By: wsg

wsg — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 00:37:02 -0800

I am reminded of a bumper sticker I once saw that said: Please don't tell my mother I'm a lawyer. She thinks I'm a piano player in a brothel.

By: JB71

JB71 — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 06:39:53 -0800

Well, Astro, it's better than Cyrano screaming it at the top of his keyboard...

By: nofundy

nofundy — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 07:06:41 -0800

This is no surprise, everyone knows George Bush doesn't like black people and the GOP "southern strategy" is all about racism.

By: Astro Zombie

Astro Zombie — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 09:07:41 -0800

It was like a Pinter play here for a moment.

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 11:01:49 -0800

So to bring this all back to focus: The Chief Counsel for Bush campaigns says that Republicans have some problems with the Voting Rights Act, especially as regards equal protection. Or, in short, the Republicans don't want fair voting. Peachy.

By: bardic

bardic — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 12:28:13 -0800

What was it that Kanye said again?