The supreme court’s takedown of American democracy is complete

Key Points:

• In 2026, the US Supreme Court severely weakened Section 2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which prohibits voting practices that discriminate based on race, color, or language minority status, making it much harder to prove racial discrimination in redistricting.
• This decision follows a series of conservative court rulings since 2010 that have undermined US democracy by allowing unlimited corporate political spending (Citizens United), invalidating key Voting Rights Act provisions requiring federal oversight of state voting changes (Sections 4 and 5), and permitting partisan gerrymandering.
• The court now requires proof of intentional racial discrimination in voting laws, ignoring congressional intent to protect minority voters from practices that have discriminatory effects, a move criticized as a major setback for voting rights, especially for people of color.
• Historian Henry Steele Commager’s warning that the Supreme Court has historically opposed majority rule is reflected in these rulings, emphasizing that democracy’s preservation depends on electoral participation and legislative action rather than judicial intervention.
• In response, there is a call for massive voter turnout and pressure on Congress to enact reforms to protect and strengthen democratic institutions and voting rights in the United States.