James Sensenbrenner, Ed Snowden and Glenn Greenwald on 'Evolution'

     I remain pessimistic about the chances of undoing the harm that the SJC did yesterday in voting down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). 

     http://diaryofarepublicanhater.blogspot.com/2013/06/infamy-at-john-roberts-supreme-court.html

     http://diaryofarepublicanhater.blogspot.com/2013/06/it-doesnt-take-long-for-gop-to.html

      It seems clear that there's no chance of repairing this until we get a Democratic House and filibuster proof majority in the Senate. Still, if other GOPers truly feel like James Sesenbrenner then I'm too pessimistic-that I'll believe when I see, of course:

     "Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), who was a key player in getting the Voting Rights Act legislation renewed in 1982 and 2006, said the Supreme Court may have ruled Tuesday to strike down a critical portion of the act, but the "threat of discrimination still exists" and he will put "partisan politics aide and ensure Americans' most sacred right is protected."

     "The Voting Rights Act is vital to America’s commitment to never again permit racial prejudices in the electoral process," Sensenbrenner said in a statement Wednesday. "Section 5 of the Act was a bipartisan effort to rectify past injustices and ensure minorities’ ability to participate in elections, but the threat of discrimination still exists.  I am disappointed by the Court’s ruling, but my colleagues and I will work in a bipartisan fashion to update Section 4 to ensure Section 5 can be properly implemented to protect voting rights, especially for minorities. This is going to take time and will require members from both sides of the aisle to put partisan politics aside and ensure Americans’ most sacred right is protected.”

      http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/sensenbrenner-on-vra-threat-of-discrimination-still-exists

      Nothing to add, there, the Congressman nails it. Let's hope that there are other GOPers who feel this way. If not then even after they pass immigration reform-as I presume they will-there will still be a very visceral issue that will cause minorities to avoid the GOP in principle. 

      With DOMA thankfully being toppled the thought of 'evolution' is close to our minds, Glenn Greenwald is so impressed by this moment of evolution he's considering returning to the U.S.

      "Glenn Greenwald, one of the Guardian journalists who broke the NSA leak story, says he is considering moving back to the United States now that the Supreme Court has struck down the Defense of Marriage Act."

       "Greenwald has lived in Brazil for the past eight years on a permanent visa with his Brazilian partner, David Michael Miranda. Greenwald has said in the past that they live there in part because Brazil recognizes their relationship for immigration purposes, while the U.S. does not. But because of the latest ruling on Wednesday, his partnership would now be recognized."

        "In an email with Slate reporter Emily Bazelon today, Greenwald said the move is "certainly something we'll consider."

It's certainly something we'll consider. It's a huge choice with many complicated factors, and it's not the kind of thing you seriously evaluate when the option isn't available to you. We haven't made up our minds in the 90 minutes or so since the decision was announced!

We've lived here together for 8 years and built a life. My partner is finishing school. All of his family is here. So it's something that will take time to resolve. But it's definitely something that we both have a desire at some point to do, and will now spend the time figuring out how and when we can do it.

     http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/greenwald-may-move-back-stateside-because-of-doma

     Speaking of evolution though, check out how much Greenwald's buddy Snowden has evolved. He didn't always have such a benighted view of leakers.

      "In 2009, NSA leaker Edward Snwoden said in a chatroom that people who leak classified information to media outlets should be "shot in the balls."

      "The chats, obtained by Ars Technica, show what appears to be Snowden angry about a New York Times article about US actions in Iran that was based on confidential leaks."

       "WTF NYTIMES. Are they TRYING to start a war? Jesus Christ, they're just like Wikileaks," he wrote in a channel on Ars Technica's public Internet Relay Chat (IRC) server. "They're reporting classified shit."

       "When someone else in the chatroom told Snowden that the Times was simply reporting, he responding that they were reporting classified information about "an unpopular country surrounded by enemies already engaged in a war and about our interactions with said country regarding planning sovereignity violations of another country."

       "You don't put that shit in the NEWSPAPER...moreover, who the fuck are the anonymous sources telling them this?" he added.

       "Snowden then took another dig at the New York Times, saying that the paper has a "HISTORY of this shit."

        "These are the same people who blew the whole 'we could listen to osama's cell phone' thing the same people who screwed us on wiretappingover and over and over again. Thank god they're going out of business...Hopefully they'll finally go bankrupt this year," he said.

     http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/greenwald-may-move-back-stateside-because-of-doma

     Guess the more things evolve the less they stay the same.