The Majority Report with Sam Seder 3607 - Farmers Turn on Trump; Far-Right SCOTUS Poised to Gut Voting Rights Act w/ Elie Mystal
Oct 21, 2025
Elie Mystal, Justice correspondent and columnist at The Nation, joins to dissect recent Supreme Court decisions threatening the Voting Rights Act. He explores the damaging effects of Trump's agricultural policies on American farmers, highlighting their anger over bailing out Argentina and rising costs. Mystal elaborates on how pivotal cases like Louisiana v. Cail could impact electoral power and racial equality, while also discussing the court's troubling history with voting protections. The conversation is a deep dive into the intersection of law, agriculture, and politics.
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Roberts As A Central Opponent To Voting Rights
- Chief Justice John Roberts has systematically opposed the Voting Rights Act throughout his career, shaping modern court hostility to voting equality.
- Elie Mystal argues Roberts is the primary judicial barrier to Black voting rights in the contemporary era.
'Racism Is Over' Rhetoric Masks Deregulatory Goal
- Conservatives claim racism is over to justify dismantling voting protections like Section 2.
- Mystal and Emma show that claim repeatedly fails against lived reality and undermines voting equality safeguards.
Outcome-Based Protections Versus Intent Requirements
- Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act targets outcomes not intent, allowing courts to correct maps that dilute minority representation.
- Republicans aim to require proof of racist intent, which would render Section 2 ineffective in practice.