As Richardson explains, the Supreme Court - or rather the Republican judges on the Supreme Court - seems about to basically rule the Voting Rights Act unconstitutional. Their reason? Basically, the VRA allows for Democrats to win seats in the House from majority Black districts. The science of gerrymandering has become so accurate that Republicans can likely redistrict away most Democratic seats in the South.
We need to keep this in mind, as we watch the destruction of American democracy, that as bad as Trump is, the entire GOP is guilty. The supposedly non-partisan Justices - including Mr. Balls-And-Strikes himself, John Roberts - are making decisions based solely on what serves the immediate needs of the GOP.
Now, there is the possibility that - if the economy craters or Trump becomes even less popular - Democrats overwhelm these new efforts to gerrymander them out of power. Diluting Democratic districts can often mean reducing the margins of GOP-leaning districts. However, I'm guessing we are going to see some ridiculous gerrymanders if they go ahead with this plan.
Trump is old and looks to be in terrible physical and mental condition. I'm not THAT worried about him trying to violate the Constitution and run again in 2028. The problem is that he has demonstrated the political expediency of destroying our shared democratic values. The VRA extensions were routinely passed unanimously and signed by Republican presidents.
We are already seeing the craven capitulation of the Republicans in Congress to Trump. But is it capitulation if they already agree with him? Trump has no power over the judges of the Supreme Court, but they are going to willingly degrade American democracy - not because they love Trump, but because his authoritarianism appeals to them.
Much of Trump's fascism is aesthetic and performative. The brutality of an ICE raid is all captured for videos for Fox. What the SCOTUS is doing is deeply structural, and therefore potentially almost permanent.
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