Ph64 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 12, 2020 9:05 pm
Hanarchy Montanarchy wrote: ↑Sat Dec 12, 2020 8:35 pm
The Conservative wrote: ↑Sat Dec 12, 2020 7:59 pm
I am not debating the legislature has a right to chose the electoral. I am arguing that the constitution has been broken by the judicial branch of the state.
I believe this is the relevant phrase:
Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct
The states in question have legislatures that have directed that electors are chosen
in accordance with the popular vote. Whence the constitutional problem?
Correct, but the legislature also decides what constitutes a valid/legal vote does it not? And they are constrained by the state's constitution (or above that the US Constitution)?
So what happens then if the legislature passes a "law" that is then challenged and found unconstitutional? Or if the courts or state governor, secretary of state, etc, try to skirt around the legislature by changing the rules without the legislature's approval?
Are we saying that if the constitution says discrimination is illegal, but the secretary of state decides that - I dunno, Hispanics can't vote - that if it wasn't challenged before the election then "latches" apply and its a moot point? Sounds ludicrous, right? Does it become any less ludicrous if the state supreme court allows it? What about if the legislature sneaks it in a year before the election and nobody notices? I mean, in any case it's still a violation of the constitution (state or federal).
I'll leave it up to you to stand in front of the angry mob of disenfranchised voters and explain to them they can't take it to court because they didn't take action "soon enough".
The problem of covert disenfranchisement is essentially the argument Stacey Abrams used reject the midterm she lost. I didn't think it was convincing then, and I don't find it convincing now.
As to an actual state law that specifically disenfranchises some class of voter, and somehow escapes all detection - I suppose it is technically possible, but I don't think it is all that likely, and we can cross that legal bridge when we get to it.
The TX case isn't really about disenfranchisement.
The laches doctrine might not be something the angry mob likes, and they might not understand why it exists, but it is still a part of our legal system, and it neither violates the constitution nor the rule of law.
I certainly hope you aren't suggesting we should abandon the constitution or the rule of law because an angry mob doesn't like or understand them.