After yesterday’s Supreme Court oral argument, and the left’s absurd and frantic efforts to paint Justice Scalia as a racist, it seems that a lot of people could use a primer on just what is in contention here: What is Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act and why is it an issue? I highly recommend this superb overview (from the Spring 2010 issue of National Affairs) by Abigail Thernstrom, filled with helpful history and analysis.