The Save Act started in April 2024 when Speaker Johnson traveled to south Florida and introduced the legislation with former president and then presidential candidate Donald Trump. It will die where most things do in DC, the US Senate. It seemed like a simple piece of legislation then and it still is today.
Voter ID, proof of citizenship and clean voter rolls is common sense, and most American’s agree. In fact, it is one of the few legislative items I can remember with such an over abundance of bipartisan support among the American population. Polls consistently support overwhelming support.
Pew Research in August 2025 – 83% of all adults questioned believe a photo ID should be required. Rasmussen Reports in January 2025 – 77% of likely voters believe a photo ID to vote is a “reasonable measure to protect the integrity of elections.” Gallup in October 2024 – 84% agreed that “requiring all voters to provide photo identification at their voting place” is the right thing to do and in that same poll 83% want proof of citizenship when registering to vote.
I remember saying in May 2024 that the Save Act will never pass in the senate where a 60-vote threshold is required. Since then, there was much talk of ‘nuking the filibuster,’ something I believe is a terrible political idea, probably the worst in American history and it’s an idea that has since faded. Passing the Save Act with a standing or talking filibuster has been discussed, too. That’s something I would love to see, but we won’t. I think it would be great to see the senate function as intended and do the work.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated that he doesn’t even have enough votes to change the rule for a standing filibuster. Ultimately, the Save Act will be brought for a vote in the senate, and it will fail. Thune says it will put the Democrats on the record, and the Republicans will use it for the upcoming midterm. I also said, since May 2024, Save’s purpose for legislator’s is political messaging, not actually creating a new law.
But why not?! 80% of American’s want it, but about 70 senators don’t. That math doesn’t add up to the voter’s wishes. The US is a federal constitutional representative democracy (or republic), where citizens elect officials to make laws and govern on their behalf. The Constitution established that, but who are members of Congress really representing?
It’s clear that Congress no longer represents the people when 80% of the people want something and Congress ignores them. As comedian George Carlin said, “it’s a big club and you ain’t in it.” The federal government and its politicians have become something the founders never intended, bloated, cumbersome, wasteful, corrupt and in the way. It’s politicians, not ours, who feed corruption and waste for power, greed and corporations’ lobbyists.
A quote attributed to Ben Franklin: “It’s a Republic, if you can keep it.” The Senates failure to pass the Save Act is a dagger of death to through the heart of this Republic. It’s people? We can only be considered subjects to the crown of big government and greedy politicians. Bend your knee and kiss the ring because when the voice of the masses are ignored by those chosen to represent that voice the Republic is already lost.
Editorial comments expressed in this column are the sole opinion of the writer
