Aestu wrote:
Do you have an explanation as to why the court was divided straight along ideological lines?
That's a good question -- Why didn't any of the liberal judges on the Supreme Court side with the conservatives? Regardless of ideology that's just the way the cookie crumbled.
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The 14th Amendment was intended to solve the question of black citizenship (and exclude Confederates from government). It was never intended to apply to anything past that, such as uniformity of law amongst state counties.
You're right... somewhat. The 14th Amendment was added to the Constitution to solve the issue of blacks and their citizenship. As an extension, they added the Equal Protection Clause to ensure all people (anyone in the future and not just blacks) would have, "equal protection of the laws." When the state doesn't have something in place that will guarantee equal protection to all voters (because the ability to cast your vote is one of our most precious freedoms) then there may not be equal protection.
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It's funny how you talk about "local government" and "federal non-involvement in state government" but all of a sudden you're in favor of the government overriding state/county prerogatives when it suits your ideological interests. ...Hypocrite.
I think you're taking things I've said out of context. I have no problem with the Federal Government or the Federal Judiciary (for the most part) and the issues I have with the Federal Government are when they try to over-step their Constitutional limitations and impose whatever the fuck they want on the States. I'm increasingly finding myself take issue with the government just creating agencies, committees and beuracracy with the intent of limiting our freedoms. Personally, I think the States should be more free to do whatever they want and the Federal Government should be limited to the powers and rules within the Constitution. Since the Equal Protection Clause is contained with the Constitution then I take no issue with it. At the time of amendment, a great majority of the country didn't, either.