Today’s Must Read

For anyone who’s had their eyes open, the fact that the only substantial effect of Voter ID laws is to restrict voting by minorities, the young and the poor has been clear for a very long time. But now even many of those who at first bought into the concept are seeing the reality. Last week, Judge Richard Posner, one of the most esteemed and conservative judges on the federal bench, wrote an opinion that amounted to a scathing denunciation of voter ID laws and the simple fact they not only restrict voting by minorities and the poor but that they do so by design. Posner’s fury on the matter is heightened by the fact that he originally bought into the vote suppressors’ main arguments and wrote one of the key opinions that helped open the floodgates for these laws around the country. We’ve picked out some of fieriest quotes from Judge Posner’s opinion. It’s really a must read. And if you have the time, Posner’s opinion itself.