Back to the bad old days of Jim Crow suppression of voting rights for historically disadvantaged groups in the USA is the ominous warning from several USA Republican dominated states gearing up to turn the clock back. Georgia has been the first off the starting block but others will follow unless Democrats in Washington can force through legislation setting federal rules for elections. Trumpist GOP-ers are ramping up allegations of fraud over early and mail-in voting but to outsiders it smells of corrupt and undemocratic self-interest, making voting difficult for those most likely to vote against them.
The landmark Voting Rights Act was signed in on 6 August 1965 in the midst of the revolutionary 1960s which saw many of the post-American Civil War segregation indecencies of the 1870s onward banished. The pushing-back-boundaries Uranus Pluto conjunction in Virgo conjunct Venus was in opposition Saturn and square a Sagittarius Moon on one side and Jupiter in Gemini on the other; with an idealistic Leo Sun square Neptune; and an adventurous Jupiter trine Mars.
This chart isn’t well supported by the present influences with a disappointing tr Neptune square Jupiter from late this May on and off till early 2023; setbacks this year from Solar Arc Mars square Saturn; with further jolts, jangles and upsets from tr Uranus square tr Saturn upending the Sun square Neptune this year and next. 2024/25 doesn’t look too encouraging either with Solar Arc Saturn square the Sun.
It was always going to be a rough ride for the Biden Administration with the toxic, lying/cheating/bullying Mercury in Cancer opposition Pluto in the USA chart catching the tr Pluto opposition Mercury and square the Mercury/Pluto midpoint this year. Thence onto the Pluto Return in 2022/23. Last December’s and this coming June’s Solar Eclipses in Sagittarius and Gemini are also colliding with the USA Mars in Gemini arousing fearsome arguments.
All countries have their moral failings and their corruption, but what sits ill about the USA is the bombastic morality that is shoved down the world’s throat while political vandalism worthy of a dictator’s banana republic is routinely and shamelessly pursued.
I found it easier to understand Georgia’s voter restriction laws here, on Marjorie’s site comments, than I found on any news source.
What in God’s name did I just read??
Fella…please go easy with whatever it is you’re smoking, drinking or sniffing coz this is way beyond just too much caffeine or weed.
My brain is fried after this.
This was difficult to read….but I guess it is what it is. It looks like we might end up with another far-right Republican populist idiot takeover in 2022 and 2024 due to this voter suppression laws being enacted.
I may have to leave this country – I’ve had enough of the nonsense.
Putting aside the voter suppression laws and assuming that HR1 passes, I still think that the House will go Republican in 2022, simply because (a) the Democrats lead in the House is in single digits and non-existent in the Senate (their authority is based on the V-P) (b) the president’s party tends to lose the mid-terms, (c) all the big achievements (the $1400 checks, HR1, etc) are being enacted now and will likely be forgotten by Nov 2022 and (d) apart from redistricting, the census means that Republican states like Texas has gained seats at the expense of Democrat states (California, etc).
So, unless the Republicans do something egregious, it is quite likely that the Democrats win more seats in the Senate and lose the House in Nov 2022.
@ Unmystic Mom,
I’m already preparing myself for Democrats losing the U.S. House in 2022 – most states have GOP-controlled state legislatures and many also have GOP governors and the 2020 U.S. Census results will be released soon…so…it’s that lovely “redistricting” season paying its every 10 year visit again.
If the GOP voter suppression tactics fail (I hope they do), then I would certainly believe Democrats are the favored party for making gains in the U.S. Senate.
A friend of mine (and fellow Democratic volunteer) who is based in Atlanta, did inform me that SB 202 is being challenged in the courts as we speak. A number of lawsuits are still being filed by civil rights groups as well.
I’m hoping these voter suppression antics will persuade Democratic Senators Kyrsten Sinema, Mark Kelly, and Joe Manchin to reconsider their stance on the filibuster. HR1 (For the People Act) will need 60 votes if the filibuster remains in place (it’s extremely unlikely this would pass under those terms…so, we need the filibuster to be removed).
All in all, I have no problem with Democratic Senators Kyrsten Sinema, Mark Kelly, and Joe Manchin being more on the conservative side – since they do represent conservative states and depend on swing voters. However, by continuing to support the filibuster these Senators could be jeopardizing their own reelection bids since these GOP voter suppression tactics (in the red states they represent) would likely disenfranchise their own constituents.
The Arizona and West Virginia Republican Parties would LOVE to oust Sinema, Kelly, and Manchin if they could. So, this one of those occasions where I have to respectfully disagree with the red state Democrats’ bipartisan efforts.
@ Chris, if Sinema, Kelly and Manchin don’t help pass SB1 they are writing their own political obituaries.
@ Roderick,
They would be because the GOP in their states would just end up keeping Democratic voters from voting for them.
I had seen this coming for some years. My Plan A was to retire to France. Long-term unemployment, covid, and several months of health issues (related to cancer scares), as well as continuous hideous bad luck pushed that off the plate.
Locally to Washington, the state has $360 million gifted to it for unemployment and rent-support. State was awarded the $$ on March 1 (or thereabouts) but has yet to issue a single red cent. When I call the 2-1-1 hotline here, one must respond to a few questions, mostly focused on opiod additions affecting employability. The gotcha is that anyone who has a perceived “high rent” does not qualify. Purely subjective, bigoted, and illegal for screening purposes. People here still living in troll caves along the rivers, lined with tree moss and their own personal garbage.
Which country (or countries) have you picked?
I think if I was in your unfortunate position and had some funds I’d be looking at living on a boat! At least there is the option that if things get really bad, you can float your home off into the direction you please and anchor up in a marina. Hope it works out.
I thought 2024 Presidential-wise was going to be less stark for the USA in comparison to what has and is happening right now? It’s shocking and deeply saddening what is happening. It’s like America is becoming the dictatorship of the Western World. However, that deep, dark, disturbing element in it’s culture was always there. I think with the advent of social media it’s been allowed to grow like germs on a petri dish! So, not totally surprising. However, I hope it all gets sorted and sorted soon and that its just going through a sick, twisted phase right now to expose what needs to be resolved!
LarryC, American colonies in Mexico are an easy “get”, and are still cheap, safe and thriving. Canada takes some bucks.
Nah, I’ll pass on becoming another drug war casualty.
Looks like it’s a boat for you, Captain LarryC.
Yo, ho, ho and a bottle of schnapps! Argh matey…
You need to remember East Coast sensibilities are not Southern sensibilities. Each state is unique and different in its history. Some states larger than European countries. We came together on economics and trade, but there is not one American sensibility, only tendencies. Love the book “Bending Toward Justice” by Doug Jones. Worth the read.
https://www.amazon.com/Bending-Toward-Justice-Birmingham-Bombing-ebook/dp/B07C22LKZL
Representative Jim Clyburn helped deliver the election to Biden. This is far from over.
As far as the Guns and comments made about that….each state has different rules. Some are open carry, some you will get arrested and go to Jail if you bring a gun across state lines. (New York). My recommendation is to live in states with tight gun control laws with teeth in the consequences – New York, Massachusetts, Maryland…..list goes on.
My god, it’s chilling to witness the GOP sinking into yet more depravity and blatant racism. I cannot believe that this voter suppression bill can allow takeover of state/county election boards, unlimited challenges to voter eligibility, restricting drop boxes & making it crime to give voters food & water in line – so now it’s easier to carry an assault weapon that give someone a cup of water while they’re waiting in line for hours to vote. This is crazy town.
Does it criminalise carrying one’s own food and water while waiting in queue?
@Unmystic Mom
The Rethugs claim that giving water or food is soliciting votes which makes no sense. Even if you gave someone food in exchange for him voting a certain way no one is going to know how that person will vote.
The reason for people having to stand in line is that urban areas ( read non-whites) are afforded fewer polling places with regards to voting population and fewer voting machines at the polling stations than rural areas.
Republicans are also taking over local election boards so yeah they are going all in to win in 2022 and 2024.
“America was built by bad white men.” – James Ellroy.
The fact that 74 million people voted for an amoral, cruel grifter says it all.
Trump’s legacy has been a universal disaster in every way.
This is further evidence.
I am ashamed of my state–Georgia–for passing this disgraceful GOP-backed voting law. What’s going on is so blatantly obvious. People of color are turning out in record numbers to vote and that scares the cr**p out of Republicans, hence the frantic passage of this law. My heart goes out to Joe Biden, a decent man with honorable intentions, who at 78 is going to be increasingly bombarded by unethical, power-crazed right-wing fanatics. Biden calls the Georgia law an “atrocity.” That’s the perfect word for it. When stringent voting restrictions are imposed on American citizens–and that’s exactly what the new Georgia law is about–you know the USA is in deep trouble.