Birds on the Brain

— Nathaniel Persily, a professor at Columbia Law School • Discussing the sudden legal pressure the Voting Rights Act is facing in states like Texas. The act was introduced in the 1960s to protect African-American voters from disenfranchisement at the polls. But recent state laws have begun to test its legality. Earlier this year, the Obama administration blocked a Texas law that would require voters to show photo ID, saying it was “unfair to minority voters.” Texas says it wants to prevent voter fraud; Georgia and Indiana have passed similar measures. Now, the fight is starting to heat up — with a hearing on Monday in a federal district court on Texas’ law, a possible prelude to a Supreme Court decision. Is it a reflection of the political climate? “Actions and interpretations that previously would not have raised partisan eyebrows are now seen as outrages,” said Persily. source (via • follow)