Special to Rattler Nation
Many of my friends complain that the Democrats are constantly
out maneuvered by the Republicans because they’re so organized. They’re so strategic. That’s true often times.
But let’s be frank. The Republicans are
just ruthless.
This election cycle the R’s are very nervous because their
numbers have dwindled badly and getting-out-the-vote alone will not help them stay
in power. Of course a black man occupies the White House, and that is
particularly annoying to them. So, they have a three point plan of attack and here’s why.
The U.S. Census tells us that people of color make up over 36 percent of the population (13.1 percent African American, 5.0 percent Asian, 16.7 percent Hispanic, 1.2 percent American Indian and Alaska Native Persons).
Guess what? The vast majority of those people are Democrats. That was confirmed by the Republican National Convention.
What do the Republicans do? Simple.
First: Suppress Democratic voters.
They are shameless. These laws negatively impact all minorities, the elderly,
and college students by limiting early voting and placing new ID restrictions on
these voters. It’s gotten so bad that a new Wisconsin
law prohibits Native Americans from using their tribal IDs to vote.
Why? Because the vast
majority of laws passed by Republicans and signed by Gov. Rick Scott have
been challenged and struck down by the Florida Supreme Court. Outraged, the Republican speaker pushed
extreme legislation that failed. Now they have put Amendment 5 on the ballot in order to allow
the state Senate to confirm justices and repeal court decisions with a simple
majority. This has shocked nonpartisan judicial experts. They rightfully point out that this amendment
would allow the governor to control judicial outcomes. I don’t have to tell you how horrible
an idea this is. Vote no.
Third: Get rid of 3
Florida Supreme Court Justices.
This election year, you will decide if
three Supreme Court Justices: R. Fred
Lewis, Barbara J. Pariente, and Peggy A. Quince, the first black women to serve as the Chief Justice of Florida or to head an entire branch of the state government,
should continue to serve. Scott and the Republican Party of
Florida have targeted these justices and they are campaigning against them with
a national conservative political action committee. The removal of these justices would mean Scott would
pick their replacements. This would result
in Supreme Court decisions being handed down as political favors.
It is a frightening thought. It would complete the Republican power grab. It would immerse the court in a
corrupting sea of political influence.
It would punish the current justices for doing their job as fair and
impartial jurists.
We all have the
advantage of good sense and should vote “yes” for Lewis, Pariente and Quince.
Regardless of color or party affiliation,
60 percent of Floridians do not approve of Scott or much of anything that he
does. Allowing Scott to control the Florida Supreme Court as though it was a
state agency wouldn’t work well in the world of equal justice. But it would work
very well in the plan to complete the conservative political agenda that has no
place in any courtroom. Is the political attack on the justices
unconscionable? Of course it is. It’s
also just plain ruthless.
Gayle Andrews
is a former member of the Capitol Press Corps and
adjunct journalism instructor at FAMU. FAMU
awarded her Distinguished and Outstanding Graduate status. She is a corporate and political consultant
in Tallahassee, Fla.