Are Redistricting Maps Next? Justice Dept. Blocks Texas Voter ID Law

A precursor to soon-to-come rejection of Texas re-adopted Redistricting Maps? By Jim Cardle Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas A December Rasmussen poll found 70 of likely voters support Voter ID Laws including 64 of independent voters and 54 of Democrats. And in 2008 the Supreme Court upheld State Voter ID Laws in a 6-to-3 decision with the  majority opinion written by Justice John Paul Stevens then one of its most liberal members.   Even Justice Stevens understood such laws were amply justified by the valid interest in protecting the integrity & reliability of the electoral process. Nonetheless the Justice Department yesterday took steps to block enforcement of Texas voter ID law. Several states have passed voter ID laws in recent years many in response to the ACORN scandal and concerns about lax voter registration standards. But Attorney General Eric Holder declared that preserving ballot access -- not combating voter fraud -- was the greater moral imperative. Said Texas Gov. Rick Perry follwoing yesterdays announcement:

The DOJ has no valid reason for rejecting this important law which requires nothing more extensive than the type of photo identification necessary to receive a library card or board an airplane. Their denial is yet another example of the Obama Administrations continuing and pervasive federal overreach. Texas has a responsibility to ensure elections are fair beyond reproach and accurately reflect the will of voters."

Added Lt. Governor David Dewhurst following Department of Justices decision to block preclearance of Texas Legislature-passed law: 

The Obama Justice Department has once again gone out of its way to undermine our states rights by blocking Texas Voter ID law. The Texas Legislature designed the law to protect the integrity of our elections while encouraging voter participation − carefully following precedents set by Georgia & Indiana that were upheld by the courts. The Texas Voter ID law allows for numerous forms of government-issued photo identification − including passports & concealed handgun licenses − offers free identification for those in need and also provides voter education and poll worker training ensuring every legal citizen can exercise their right to vote. I will work closely with Attorney General Abbott to fight this clearly partisan attack by the Obama Administration so Texans can rest assured their votes will not be cancelled out by illegal ballots.

American voters know the old lines; we often have to produce an ID to use a credit card. We have to have an ID to drive to board an airplane to cash checks. And Americans overwhelmingly support the commonsense idea that we should produce an ID to vote in order to combat voter fraud.

So this seems like an odd fight for the Obama Administration ... except for the rarely-mentioned fact that they still (desperately) need to tie down or motivate their own base voters.

The other fact may be that with a drawn-out Republican Presidential Primary the White House re-election effort doesnt have the luxury of knowing which Republican candidate to attack. This no doubt is keeping the Obama Campaign frustrated as Novemebers Election looms larger by the day.

Which may lead one to believe there is more to come.

One can only wonder if this might be a precursor to a soon-to-be-announced rejection of Texas recently re-adopted Redistricting Maps with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder continueing the effort to make Texas or the Administrations protection of the comman man the greater moral imperative.

It worked for passage of the Obama Health Care Bill -- as then Speaker Nancy Pelosi said But we have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it away from the fog of controversy."

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