It’s not entirely apropos, but the above quote from Shakespeare popped into my mind when I read this:
With a tie vote in a closely watched case, the Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed a series of voting restrictions in North Carolina to remain blocked ahead of November’s elections. The court handed down an order denying the request by the state to allow it to implement some of the restrictive provisions – provisions that had been struck down and deemed discriminatory in their intent by a panel of judges on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last month.
The order means the appeals court ruling will stand at least through November, while signaling that the Supreme Court is likely split on the larger issue of the legality of the restrictions.
….
North Carolina had asked the Supreme Court for an emergency stay on the ruling so it could implement some of the invalidated provisions – specifically its photo ID requirement, the early voting limits and the pre-registration ban – for November’s election. According to Wednesday’s order, the conservative justices were willing to side with the state on at least some of North Carolina’s request. However, the death of Justice Antonin Scalia last February has robbed the conservative bloc its crucial fifth vote necessary to halt the appeals court decision.
Scalia did no better service to his country than taking leave of life when he did. In this particular case, it means that thousands of people, most of them black, will not be deprived of the right to vote. More broadly, it means that the court’s right wing has been temporarily stopped. A reminder of what’s really important in this election. We may have to hold our noses, but a Hillary presidency will spell the end of right wing domination on the court, and for that alone we must hold tight and pull the lever.
On another note, how does Clarence Thomas sleep at night?
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