Marta Dzirkste

I can't even deal with this. For years — as long as I've been alive — conservatives (myself included) have resisted nearly every major voting rights or election administration bill Democrats have proposed, on the grounds that elections should not be federalized or centralized in any way. Here are some direct quotes that speak for themselves: Mitch McConnell: - "We're talking about fundamentally the same bill… the plan to forcibly rewrite large portions of the 50 states' respective election laws… This is a massive federal power grab." Ted Cruz (he has LOTS): - "This is a power grab by Democrats in Washington to federalize elections and to take over elections in all 50 states. It is profoundly unconstitutional." - "What Democrats are trying to do is seize control of elections from the states and put it in the hands of politicians in Washington. That is exactly what the Constitution was written to prevent." - "This bill is about rigging the rules of the game. It is about Washington politicians deciding how Texans vote, how Floridians vote, how Americans vote." - "The so-called For the People Act is really a federal takeover of elections. It strips states of their authority and centralizes power in Washington." John Thune: - "This legislation… attempts to federalize elections and rewrite election laws in all 50 states… This is nothing more than an attempted power-grab from the left." Heritage Foundation: - "The proposal that the federal government set new 'minimum' standards for state voter registration systems is a bad idea… another step toward the federal takeover of the administration of elections." Federalist Society: - "Election administration has always been primarily a state responsibility, and federalizing it threatens the balance of our constitutional system." The SAVE Act would require states to use federal databases to verify citizenship and maintain voter rolls — effectively creating national oversight of voter data. So can someone explain to me, on principle: when did federal overreach become okay with you, and why? Why are so many conservatives now supporting exactly what we have consistently argued against for decades? This is simply not consistent with conservative principles, so it's really hard to see this as anything other than a power grab.

Tuvojas sievas dzimšanas diena. Dažas nedēļas atpakaļ mēs tā omulīgi sēdējām, malkojām vīnu, un es pajautāju ko viņa vēlētos sev dāvanā. Un mīļā, pirmo reizi mūžā, kautrīgi, bet godīgi arī pateica. Ja vien es tagad varētu atcerēties, kas tas bija.