Environment

Op-Ed:Struggle for Voting Rights Justice Goes On

Published

9 years ago

April 6, 2016

On April 4, we celebrated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King even as we marked the 48th anniversary of his assassination. On April 5, voters will go to the polls in the Wisconsin primaries, but a new raft of voter suppression laws will insure that the results are skewed.One of Dr. King’s great legacies — the Voting Rights Act — is now under assault across the country.

In Wisconsin, voter suppression laws were passed by a conservative Republican legislature despite the fact that there was no evidence of voter fraud to justify them. The legislature seemed intent on passing the most restrictive laws.

They passed the whole passel of conservative model laws and invented a few more. The laws were challenged in court, but the Supreme Court refused to review a lower court decision leaving them in place.

The voter suppression laws include requiring a photo ID for voting, a measure that may impact an estimated 300,000 voters, disproportionately older, younger, poor and people of color.

They reduced early voting times from 30 days to 12 days and eliminated it on weekends and evenings, discriminating against workers who can’t get leave to go to the polls. They eliminated statewide certification of registrars, so registrars can only enroll voters the country where they are certified, making registration more difficult.

They eliminated faxing and emailing of absentee ballots — except to military and overseas voters — making absentee voting more difficult. They eliminated straight ticket voting, except for military and overseas voters, ensuring that waiting times and lines will be longer when people go to vote.

They made it harder to use student ID as proof of residence, even as they required proof of residence to vote.

The thrust of these laws is clear: They are designed to make it harder to vote, particularly for working people who can’t take time off, for students, for the elderly who may not have the right ID, for the poor and people of color.

No wonder Bernie Sanders denounced the suppression laws as “truly un-American.” Hillary Clinton’s legal counsel challenged them in court. Key constituents of both candidates will be impacted.

The Wisconsin primary results will be distorted — and that is the intent.

In the general election, these laws will be most destructive to the Democratic voting base, not the Republican base. And that is intentional also.

This is a disgrace. Forty-eight years after Dr. King’s death, we witness how much of his agenda remains unfinished, how much is being reversed.

He marched against inequality and poverty, but inequality is worse, and childhood poverty in the United States is the worst of any major country.

He marched for equal protection under the laws, but our system of racial injustice continues to discriminate, particularly against young black men. He marched for voting rights, and now across the country conservatives are systematically passing laws to making voting harder.

He protested against the endless war in Vietnam that robbed the funds needed for the war on poverty at home.

And now we seem stuck in endless wars without victory on the other side of the world, even as our own neighborhoods suffer from the lack of public investment in everything from clean water systems to public schools.

Dr. King will be remembered for helping to make America better. But he always taught us that justice can’t be inherited. Equal opportunity can’t be taken for granted. “Human progress,” he wrote, “is neither automatic nor inevitable…. Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering and struggle, the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”

And as Wisconsin will show, the struggle must continue simply to guarantee every American the right to vote.

Oakland Post

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Activism

LIVE! — TOWN HALL ON RACISM AND ITS IMPACT — THURS. 11.14.24 5PM PST

Join us for a LIVE Virtual Town Hall on the Impact of Racism hosted by Post News Group Journalist Carla Thomas and featuring Oakland, CA NAACP President Cynthia Adams & other Special Guests.
Thursday, November 14, 2024, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PST

Published

2 weeks ago

November 12, 2024

Oakland Post

Discussion Topics:
• Since the pandemic, what battles have the NAACP fought nationally, and how have they impacted us locally?
• What trends are you seeing concerning Racism? Is it more covert or overt?
• What are the top 5 issues resulting from racism in our communities?
• How do racial and other types of discrimination impact local communities?
• What are the most effective ways our community can combat racism and hate?

Your questions and comments will be shared LIVE with the moderators and viewers during the broadcast.

STREAMED LIVE!
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YOUTUBE: youtube.com/blackpressusatv
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Business

Gov. Newsom Issues Executive Order to Tackle Rising Electric Bills

Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order to help alleviate the financial burden of skyrocketing electric bills on residents. This directive instructs the state’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and Energy Commission to identify strategies to lower electricity costs and prevent rapid increases in the future.

Published

2 weeks ago

November 6, 2024

Oakland Post

iStock

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Among the key actions proposed, the governor emphasized a closer examination of utility expenditures related to wildfire mitigation, which accounts for about 13% of residential electric bills.

Newsom underscored the state’s commitment to balancing affordability with environmental goals.

“We’re taking action to address rising electricity costs and save consumers money on their bills,” said Newsom. “California is proving that we can address affordability concerns as we continue our world-leading efforts to combat the climate crisis.”

California now has the second-highest electric rates in the country, trailing only Hawaii, with residential bills having surged as much as 110% over the past decade. The largest utilities, including Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric, have seen rate hikes of 20% to 50% in just the last three years, approved by the state’s regulatory bodies.

The executive order also directs the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to explore increasing the California Climate Credit, which provides some relief on energy costs for residents. Additionally, the PUC is urged to pursue federal funding opportunities to further reduce electric expenses.

While consumer advocates welcomed the governor’s focus on lowering costs, concerns were raised regarding potential cuts to essential clean energy programs. CALPIRG, a consumer group, pointed out that the real issue behind high utility bills is wasteful spending by utilities and urged greater accountability.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

California Ports to Receive Over $1 Billion in Federal Funds to Decarbonize

Last week, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will allocate over $1 billion to seven California ports for zero-emission (ZE) infrastructure and climate management plans. In an Oct. 29 press release, Padilla said this funding, part of the EPA’s Clean Ports Program and supported by the Inflation Reduction Act, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality at ports nationwide.

Published

2 weeks ago

November 6, 2024

Oakland Post

iStock

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

In an Oct. 29 press release, Padilla said this funding, part of the EPA’s Clean Ports Program and supported by the Inflation Reduction Act, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality at ports nationwide.

Among the grants, the Port of Los Angeles received over $411 million, the largest award in the country. California ports are vital to the national economy, handling about 40% of containerized imports and 30% of exports.

“California’s ports move the goods that power our economy. This historic investment in our ports is a major step forward in accelerating the zero-emission infrastructure transition,” said Padilla.

Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka and fellow port officials echoed Padilla’s sentiments, with plans to acquire over 400 pieces of ZE cargo handling equipment, reducing emissions by 41,500 tons annually.

“This transformative investment will be a tremendous boost to our efforts to meet our ambitious zero emission goals, improve regional air quality, and combat climate change while accelerating the port industry’s transition to zero emissions across the country,” said Seroka.

Other ports, including Oakland, Stockton, San Diego, and San Francisco, will also use their grants to transition to ZE operations, improve regional air quality, and create job opportunities.

The EPA’s funding will support various projects, from electrifying cargo terminals to establishing the first high-speed zero-emission ferry network in the U.S. Ports will collaborate with various stakeholders to ensure these investments benefit their surrounding communities.

The port of Hueneme in Ventura County and the Port of Redwood City on the Southern San Francisco Bay will also receive funding, respectively.