Latest / Black Box Theory Podcast / BBT #16 Snippet | Why Voting Is More Urgent Than Ever
Transcript
- Malcolm: ⁓ what this decision essentially does, the ⁓ Louisiana it effectively dismantles section two of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the ⁓ primary tool that has been used for 60 years to fight racial discrimination in elections and protect majority black congressional districts, right? So what the court ruled in a 6-3 decision, they struck down Louisiana's majority black map. and they changed the legal standards under section two in ways that will make future VRA cases way, way, way harder to win. So this, ⁓ it modified the legal test from Thornburg versus Gingles, which is 1986, which had been the foundation of VRA enforcement for four decades. now, illustrative maps by section two plaintiffs as evidence must now meet all of the jurisdiction's political objectives, including partisan goals. So means you can't just be lying to one side. So now states can use partisan gerrymandering as a defense against racial gerrymandering claims. This permits states to gut majority minority districts by framing the intent as political rather than racial, ⁓ even when practical effect is identical. ⁓ So yeah, they are ridiculous because the court move within immediate speed. They usually have a 32 day waiting period before taking effect, but the court granted an immediate finalization of the opinion at the request of the white plaintiff voters. So Louisiana could draw a new map and time for the 2026 elections. Huh. Yeah. Thomas: This reminds me of Daredevil. For all my people who watched Daredevil born again season two, it's just like that. Malcolm: and the only person that was against it was Katanji Brown Jackson. She was the only person that was against it being done immediately. Thomas: I can't imagine how tired and tiring it must be to be her and like work with those people like every day, like being in that system every day knowing good and well. You just, I can't imagine how those conversations, like I just can't imagine. Malcolm: It's scary times, bro. Like, it's scary. Thomas: It's not even just that they rolled that way, it's how quick they did it. Malcolm: They wasted no time when it was time to benefit those folks. yeah, the outrage has been pretty crazy. ⁓ And Louisiana's primary was May 16th, which was the same week as, yeah, so they have already, it's nasty, bro. Thomas: This is quite like I've been seeing people comparing this to the civil rights movement. Unfortunately, we have people that are more pressed to go stand in line and sleep in line for ⁓ AP swatch pocket watch. But I mean, we're actively being screwed over. Malcolm: You know what? Yeah, I was seeing videos about like the fact that like this people had to literally shut down the stores because of some people lining up and rushing. ⁓ I really pray that we have the same energy and intent and, you know, to go vote, right, to go make to go make something happen, bro. So. Thomas: vote. know what? Here's what we should do. We should just raise some money, buy like 10, 10 AP Swatch pocket watches and say, hey, ⁓ everyone who votes, you enter in this raffle to win one. Just like Elon did, what was it, a million dollars? ⁓ When Trump was running for president, they did a thing where it's like everyone who votes, you get put into a ballot for a million dollars if you vote for Trump. I don't know if it was vote for Trump, but it was some sort of tactic they used to get people to turn out for Trump. Malcolm: For what? Thomas: And I bet you if we did that, they would say, that's illegal. But it's like, what do people need? Like I understand we're in a capitalist society where consumerism is at all time highs and we have people freaking out over dumpling, like toy dumpling ⁓ box openings. like, what are we, I just don't understand. does that mean they're fine being in the back of the slave house as long as they got an AP pocket watch? Malcolm: Bro, it is crazy.