On the importance of the suggested changes to the Voting Rights Act...

The GOP is getting ready to eliminate the VRA in anticipation of the 2008 elections. Having learned a lesson or two from the fradulant challenges they made in the 2004 elections, the GOP is positioning itself to continue those illegal tactics by getting rid of the Voting Rights Act. While southern states have some reason to feel picked on by the law, the answer isn't to abolish the act but to provide the same protections to voters in all states. Greg Palast, who covered the 2004 elections for the BBC and did a solid job of digging into the nuts and bolts of what happened, has a great piece on this and what it will portends for the next major election.