Welcome to Rich’s Roundup, where I will gather and report on the nation’s top political stories over the past week. 

U.S. intervention likely in Syria

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The situation in Syria has come to a breaking point after two years of civil war. Pres. Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian military have been clashing with the Syrian opposition for nearly two-and-a-half years. Allegations of chemical weapons abuse, specifically sarin, against the opposition have run rampant in the past year. The U.S. has consistently said that the use of chemical weapons would be the final straw and military intervention would be imminent.

Recently, the Syrian government allowed UN inspectors to search for evidence of chemical weapons abuse. After arriving in the country, they were fired upon by an unknown party. Despite the attack, the inspectors continued their analysis.

According to Stephen Shulman, associate professor in political science with a specialty in international relations, a UN response is unlikely even if evidence of a sarin attack is found.

“It is unlikely that there is going to be a response from the United Nations Security Council,” he said. “Russia is a strong ally of the Assad regime and is certainly going to block an authorization of force. China too.”

Regardless of the U.N. findings, intervention seems imminent. Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday that there was undeniable evidence that Syria used chemical weapons against the opposition. Warplanes recently arrived at a British Air Force base in Cyprus, a key position for the air campaign.

“I think it looks quite likely that there is going to be a military response,” said Shulman. “The question is will they engage in multilateral military actions alongside its’ NATO allies?”

He went on to say that while military intervention is likely, it will probably be in the form of air support and armament of the opposition to send a message.

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“The limited use of force would be communicating a deterring threat,” Shulman said. “If the regime again uses chemical weapons, the response will likely be greater. It sends a symbolic statement: don’t use chemical weapons again.”

U.S. sues Texas over voter 

ID laws, redistricting

Texas is facing stern opposition to its’ voter ID laws.

The U.S. Department of Justice said on August 22 that it would be filing a lawsuit to halt voter ID laws in Texas, which Attorney General Eric Holder views as racist.

Voter ID laws became the center of debate during the 2012 election due to perceived racism and ageism. People without driver’s licenses or state ID cards tend to be minorities or the elderly.

After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were unconstitutional due to it being based on data from over 40 years ago, Texas began implementing voter ID and redistricting almost immediately.

Proponents of the voter ID laws say that they will combat voter fraud. Opponents argue that in-person voter fraud is almost nonexistent and that the changes are a means to disenfranchise voters.

“We will not allow the Supreme Court’s recent decision to be interpreted as open season for states to pursue measures that suppress voting rights,” Holder said in a Department of Justice press release August 22. “The Department will take action against jurisdictions that attempt to hinder access to the ballot box, no matter where it occurs.”

Texas state lawmakers think Holder is overreaching its’ bounds and playing party politics.

The NAACP asked to join the lawsuit on Tuesday. Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fun, vowed to stop the law in a press release the same day.

“The State of Texas would like to take us backwards in time, to a time when people of color did not have an equal voice in our society,” she said. “Governor Perry, we have a message for you: We won’t let that happen on our watch.”

Illinois approves speed limit increase

Illinois became the 37th state to approve an increase in the speed limit to 70 miles per hour.

The change affects rural areas of Illinois. Lake, McHenry, DuPage, Kane, Cook, and Will counties near Chicago and Madison and St. Clair counties near St. Louis, Misso. will be exempt from the change.

The bill to change the speed limit met opposition from the state police and the Illinois Department of Transportation, citing safety issues. It also lowers the point at which drivers can receive an excessive speeding ticket from 31-miles-over to 26-miles-over.

Despite the opposition, the bill received a veto-proof amount of votes in both the House and the Senate. Gov. Quinn spent all summer studying it, eventually deciding to sign it into law.

The change takes effect Jan. 1, 2014.