Only if a swift and potent political or legal price is extracted will the GOP's campaign to suppress the vote be permanently stopped. Recent court victories are only the first baby steps in killing this pernicious effort. Light must be shined vigilantly on these poisonous schemers. The individuals and organizations committing these crimes against democracy and our republic must be held instantly and harshly accountable.
This includes the obvious suspects who have been active in voter suppression: GOP state officials executing the policies, the RNC, the "Koch" nee "John Birch" machine, the Rove machine, lobbyists for the oligarchy, GOP mouth pieces like Limbaugh, Grudge and Faux News, etc.; but also politicians at large who have tried to look the other way while this attack on democracy has unfolded in plain sight: ALL candidates for public office and their campaign consultants and apparatchiks, ALL Justice Department and state law enforcement officials, ALL election officials and poll watchers. The questions that must be asked of all public officials include not just "Where do you stand on recent voter suppression efforts?" but the more important follow-up question: "What have you done to stop and prevent voter suppression?"
The reason politics has run so far amuck in recent years is the lack of public scrutiny and the misguided reluctance to exact public, political or legal costs for outrageous or harmful behavior. We have accepted lame excuses or we have been distracted by diversionary tactics instead of holding our lines. If a burglar is breaking into your house, you have him arrested and put in jail not turn your back and pretend its not happening or, worse, ask him to kindly move down the block to your neighbor's house. Action is expected and demanded. Those caught attacking democracy must forever be excised from our political system on their first offense.
They that are on their guard and appear ready to receive their adversaries, are in much less danger of being attacked than the supine, secure and negligent. -Benjamin Franklin