"Voting is not a privilege, it's a right, and I'm tired of people treating it like a privilege, it's a right,"

[Quiet Em]

So, let’s be very clear, Last week marked a devastating day in the history of our country and a massive step backwards in American democracy. And the impact of that massive step backwards will be felt by all Americans. I’m here because I’m worried about all Americans. I promised that I would fight for all Georgians, and this is an assault on the ability of ordinary people to be heard, thanks to the Supreme Court’s deeply misguided decision, states are now free to racially gerrymander however they see fit.

The court is bringing back so-called race-neutral policies. Let me be really clear, Black and brown voters are being targeted by these gerrymanders. This notion of race neutral is a lie on its face. We have seen so-called race-neutral policies before that completely erase the ability of Black and brown voters to be heard. Grandfather clauses, literacy tests, tell me how many jelly beans are in the jar. All of those policies were allegedly race-neutral. There’s nothing new about this.

Black and Brown voters are being targeted, but women are also being targeted because the same folks who cheer this awful decision by the Supreme Court were also trying to pass the so-called SAVE Act. And let me be clear, they’re not trying to save America. They are certainly not trying to save the democracy. They’re trying to save their power at any cost.

So the SAVE Act said that you’ve got to have your birth certificate in order to register to vote. Most people can’t find their birth certificate, or you’ve got to have a passport. Most Americans don’t have a passport. And if you’re a woman and your name is different from the name that’s on your birth certificate, you’ve got to find your birth certificate, then find your marriage certificate, which you may not want to find! And then go get an affidavit.

You’ve got to jump through all of these hoops just to vote. Voting is not a privilege, it’s a right, and I’m tired of people treating it like a privilege, it’s a right, it’s a right.

Senator Warnock's full remarks link below

https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/the-democracy-doesnt-belong-to-the-politicians-warnock-stands-with-faith-leaders-to-decry-gutting-of-voting-rights-act/

[Emile]

1. It's also a patriotic duty.

[SocialDemocrat61]

11. Thank you!

Exactly right 👍

[PunkinPi]

2. K&R nt

[RexLipton]

3. "Rights aren't "rights" if someone can take them away-

They're privileges.

That's all we've ever had in this country: a bill of temporary privileges. And if you read the news, even badly, you know that the list gets shorter and shorter."

George Carlin

[ColoringFool]

7. Jesters Always Speak Truth To Power. Zelenskyy Was One Once.

[Ponietz]

10. Going back at least half a millennium to King Lear's fool

[ChicagoTeamster]

4. Keep in mind the rich want to hold another Constitutional Convention to take away all kinds of rights.

[COL Mustard]

13. I would say put it to the voters

But here in Virginia that hasn’t worked out so well.

[brer cat]

5. Thank you for speaking out, Sen. Warnock!

[AllaN01Bear]

6. Dingj. This.

.

[mountain grammy]

8. Kick!

[Ponietz]

9. They treat our rights like privileges and their privileges like rights

There’s a concise summation of Repubes.

[LeftInTX]

12. Who knows what a "right" is these days?

One right we do have is the right to remain silent when accussed of a crime. That one is a pretty hard one to take away.
Now you can be penalized for it, but you are not supposed to. You do not retain the same right in a civil suit.

But free speech and firearms are rights, but have limitations. Free speech is harder to limit than firearms.

Voting is subject to citizenship, registration, residency and age.


Sadly the constitution itself does very little to protect voting rights. Yes, age, race, gender and senate races are now protected in in the constitution. But if you look at original elections 200 years ago, much of it was about "white male delegates".

1789: The U.S. constitution did not establish any specific voting rights, instead states were given the power to regulate voting laws. As a result, most states limited voting to white male landowners.

Representatives were elected by the people, Senators were selected by state legislatures, and the President was elected by state legislature appointed electors.

1870 -15th Amendment: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States of any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”

1913: The 17th Amendment gives the power of selecting Senators to the (male) people. Prior to the 17th Amendment Senators were selected by state legislatures.

1920: The 19th Amendment gives women the right to vote.

1971: The 26th Amendment made the minimum voting age 18, previously the minimum voting age was 21.

These are the only things protected in the US constitution.
Also many states interpret voting rights within the constitution applicable to federal elections.
For instance in Texas, the Overseas Voting Act only applies to federal elections. Some states allow overseas citizens to vote in all elections. Some states allow non-citizens to vote in local elections.

Hell, a state could challenge voting in presidential elections and guess what, this Supreme Court would agree. "The constitution says: "State legislature appointed electors". I don't think it says anything about voting for president.


https://guides.library.unt.edu/voting/history-of-voting-America

[LetMyPeopleVote]

14. The15th Amendment is clear

[Emile]

15. +1