Sit down before you read this, John: The Kansas Supreme Court has ruled that voting is not a fundamental right protected by the Kansas Constitution.

It should go without saying, but this decision will likely weaken legal challenges to future voting restrictions in Kansas and make it easier for opponents of voting rights in their legislature to more aggressively pursue new anti-voting laws.

Hang with us while we explain how they split hairs on this decision, but -- the Kansas Supreme Court said voting is a "political right" and not a "fundamental right". What's the difference? With a fundamental right, the government has to prove why it needs to pass new voting laws and restrictions. With a political right, the onus is on the voters to prove they are being unreasonably burdened and blocked from voting.

In short -- this decision reads like a "get out of jail free" card from Monopoly, granting a legal wink and a nudge to opponents of voting rights to make it harder to vote.

Voter suppression anywhere hurts us everywhere. Help us defend the right to vote with $25 or whatever you can today in states like Kansas where our democracy is under threat >>