cross-posted from: https://news.abolish.capital/post/33746
The extremes to which the Republican Party will go to sway the 2026 elections in their favor was highlighted again on Sunday after US President Donald Trump said he will sign no other legislation into law this year until the SAVE Act—a bill that would deeply erode voting rights and threatens ballot access for tens of millions of Americans—is passed by Congress.
“It must be done immediately,” Trump declared in a characteristically unhinged social media post on Sunday, referring to the SAVE Act, versions of which have passed the Republican-controlled House but so far stalled in the Senate.
“It supersedes everything else. MUST GO TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE,” Trump continued in an all-caps tantrum. “I, as President, will not sign other Bills until this is passed, AND NOT THE WATERED DOWN VERSION - GO FOR THE GOLD: MUST SHOW VOTER I.D. & PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP: NO MAIL-IN BALLOTS EXCEPT FOR MILITARY - ILLNESS, DISABILITY, TRAVEL: NO MEN IN WOMEN’S SPORTS: NO TRANSGENDER MUTILIZATION FOR CHILDREN! DO NOT FAIL!!!”
Voting rights experts and Democratic lawmakers have denounced the SAVE Act as a dangerous threat to millions of eligible voters, calling it a clear effort by the GOP to tip the scales in their favor by depressing voter turnout in 2026 and beyond.
“In every form, the SAVE Act would require American citizens to show documents like a passport or birth certificate to register to vote. Our research shows that more than 21 million Americans lack ready access to those documents,” warned Eliza Sweren-Becker and Owen Bacskai of the Brennan Center for Justice, which advocates for robust voting rights, in a blog post last week.
“Roughly half of Americans don’t even have a passport,” Sweren-Becker and Bacskai continued. “Millions lack access to a paper copy of their birth certificate. The SAVE Act would disenfranchise Americans of all ages and races, but younger voters and voters of color would suffer disproportionately. Likewise, millions of women whose married names aren’t on their birth certificates or passports would face extra steps just to make their voices heard.”
In response to Trump’s threat on Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) characterized the SAVE Act as “Jim Crow 2.0” as he condemned the president and his GOP allies.
“If Trump is saying he won’t sign any bills until the SAVE Act is passed, then so be it: there will be total gridlock in the Senate,” said Schumer. “Senate Democrats will not help pass the SAVE Act under any circumstances.”
Melanie D’Arrigo, executive director of the Campaign for New York Health, said Sunday that the SAVE Act—which Trump said last week must be passed “at the expense of everything else”—is not a voter ID bill, but rather “voter suppression” legislation bill masquerading as a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.
“If it was a voter ID bill, it would provide people with the proper IDs to vote, with no barriers — but it doesn’t,” noted D’Arrigo. “The voter fraud rate is .0001%, and this bill would potentially prevent up to 69 million women, 40 million who don’t have access to their birth certificate, and 140 million without a passport, from voting.”
From Common Dreams via This RSS Feed.
Unless pedo Trump just wants to get rid of any avenue for the creation of paper ballots, I do not understand this fixation with mail-in voting.
I’ve read that Democrat passport holders outnumber GOP passport holders 3 to 1, and GOP voters are much more likely to not still legally have their birth name.
Anyhow, can’t wait to see how the other Democrats will fuck this up.
IMO: A lot of this is groundwork for a parallel construction narrative. “Of course our numbers are better than theirs, we would have won every election ever if it weren’t for rigged votes.”
The primary goal isn’t to win by driving the actual vote count down, though it certainly helps. The actual goal is to create the widest smoke screen possible, so that any time the numbers look strangely in their favor it’s because there are fewer illegal immigrants “voting”. Deportations! Better ID verification! Blue vote numbers are down, and it’s because the Trump administration fixed the system. Just ignore all the fact based studies that showed how few votes were tallied in error.
Their demographic doesn’t need proof for what they want to believe, just a plausible narrative that they are already groomed to accept.
The thing that sticks out for me is that so many people in the US don’t have the means of proving who they are. No passport, no birth certificate, nothing.
So you can just get a bank account and claim to be “John Smith” with a random address or something?
People usually have some way to prove who they are the problem is that they are asking you to bring multiple things now instead of just one. It’s just getting harder to vote. People can get the other documents but they will cost money and take time to get and people will miss voting.
Nah. In the US we have an “iterative” ID process. We get a state ID (License) by verifying our identity with other identification like a social security card, birth certificate, and pieces of mail and utility bills to verify our address.
Republicans want a “papers please” situation where voters need to have all these documents not just to register to vote, but to actually vote at the polls. They want fewer voters.
I’m well aware that this is primary about denying votes. But there seems to be an accepted chain of identification. Why don’t you use it?
- Because we dont have to. We show our ID when we register.
- One ID won’t be enough. If an ID is required the government will then start pushing for two forms of ID … or maybe a face scan ID.
If fraud is suspected the burden of proof lies upon the government to prove voter fraud after I have cast my ballot. I dont need to jump through hoops when I cast my ballot just because some fukwad is crying wolf … and the Constitution agrees.
I swear to god if anyone breaks party lines on this…
This feels like a profoundly make or break moment for compete fascist control of the government
Pretty sure fetterman already said he was for it. Not sure if you still count that party lines or not at this point.
Is for the SAVE act? Thats pretty fucking damning, seeing as how its blatant voter supression
If Fetterman is still getting DNC funding or committee assignments, he absolutely shouldn’t be.
He’s got like 4 years left in his term. He shouldn’t be getting funding regardless
TLDR: Toddler in chief is threatening to not sign any new laws.
Not that legality matters, but how is the Save (Donvict) Act even legal? Aren’t elections up to the states to run?
Everything is legal if SCOTUS is broken
If you take away the ballot then you leave us only the bullet to vote with.
As if anyone takes schumer seriously about not passing anything until such and such happens, man has never won a game of chicken in his leadership, everyone knows he will cave, that’s why he was chosen by the donors to lead this controlled opposition shit show.
If Trump had ever taken a civics class, he’d probably have learned that if a bill sits on his desk for 10 days while congress is in session, it will pass without his signature.
You don’t even need the civics class, just watch that one schoolhouse rock video.
They do not mention that option in the song: I’m Only A Bill
Or The West Wing. :)
Tomayto, tomahto
Aren’t they shut down right now? Would that null the passing?
Not really. Congress is constitutionally “in session” except when they themselves deliberately and formally pause for at least a weekday. And to do that requires the exact same two-chamber majority that is required pass a bill. (“Pro forma” sessions with just one senator and one house member are common.)
Until December 21st Congress is essentially immune to the “pocket veto” unless they specifically choose to be.
Thanks. Didn’t know how to phrase to search it.
Congress is still in session.
The reality is that the Republican controlled congress isn’t going to send him any bills, but it shows how profoundly ignorant the President is to articulate a useless threat.
Ah gotcha. Yeah, I understood the stupidity, but wasn’t sure if it was some backhanded loophole play or not.
He’ll just use an illegal executive order to stop it once he realizes, and no court or congress will do anything.
woohoo. no dhs funding ever.
I assume not doing something under any circumstances means doing it as soon as his donors think it’s helped clear the news cycle of something they don’t want in it
Given Schumer’s record, Dems will cave in about 2 weeks. Sigh. Kiss your voting rights goodbye, US married women, and so many others.
This is my biggest concern. I sincerely doubt they’ll hold out.
Meh, in the end US voting rights have mm ratings…
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I could think of a few Dems who will sign it. Just give it enough time. Schumer will probably join them too eventually.
Schumer may “hold out” himself after he has quietly arranged for enough other Democrats to cave. He has done that before. He thinks he’s being very cunning and people can’t see right through him.
Can they, though?
No MAGA legislation? Don’t threaten me with a good time.
“Will not help” is far weaker than “will oppose.” Fucking worthless sack of shite Schumer.
