Bilingual Ballots Update

I posted a few days ago about some in Congress trying to end bilingual ballots. Well thier effort has failed.chron.com What was to have been a simple renewal of the historic Voting Rights Act has become snarled in the heated debate involving immigration issues. Conservative House members tried Wednesday to end a requirement in the 1965 law that bilingual ballots and interpreters be provided in states and counties where large numbers of citizens speak limited English. The House Judiciary Committee rejected the effort. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, said voting in English should pose no problem for any U.S. citizen. "If you are born in America, you should know English," he said. "If you are a naturalized citizen, you should have passed an English proficiency test." The committee voted 26-9 against amending the law, which ended racist practices such as poll taxes and literacy tests in Southern states, so that it no longer would require bilingual ballots and interpreters. Later, the committee voted 33-1 to extend the law, due to expire next year, for 25 more years. Only Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, who offered the amendment to strike the bilingual ballots, voted against it. Sad day for citizens, good day for illegals that vote and the politicians they support.