Reject this dangerous bill

Our democracy works best when every eligible voter, regardless of background, can make their voice heard. But the extreme SAVE Act threatens that right by imposing unnecessary and burdensome proof-of-citizenship requirements, making it significantly harder for millions of Americans to register and vote.

This bill would force every voter to present proof of citizenship, primarily through a passport or an original birth certificate, documents many Americans don’t readily have, every time they register or update their registration—in person. That means ourselves, our loved ones, and our neighbors could face insurmountable barriers: as it’s written now, the bill creates particular problems for military service members, tribal citizens, married women, naturalized citizens, rural voters, and seniors.

The SAVE Act is a solution in search of a problem. It’s already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections, and election officials already verify voter eligibility using secure state and federal data. This bill does nothing to improve election security, it only makes voting harder for law-abiding citizens.

Congress should reject this dangerous bill and focus on ensuring that all eligible Americans have fair and equal access to the ballot box. Instead of erecting new barriers, we should be working to make voting more accessible for all eligible Americans.
Mary Morgan
Gilbert, Minnesota

Thank goodness we live in America

I hear that there is a country where recently elected leaders have rolled out revolutionary new programs, bewildering an already dazed electorate.

The leaders of that country want to fund tax cuts for their billionaire friends and supporters, so they cut grants to homeless shelters, food banks and diversity-equity-and-inclusion programs.
They want to change public school textbooks to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, so they cut support for Meals on Wheels and low-income families.

They want to satisfy their imperialist, colonialist ambitions by annexing Greenland, and perhaps the Panama Canal and Canada, so they cut programs and support for disabled elders, and for childcare.
They want to insert their government into family decisions about pregnancy, reproductive health, childbirth and hormonal treatments for teenagers, so they withhold life-saving medications, and freeze foreign aid.

They also are determined to round up people seeking asylum in their country and even some native-born people and deport them, often to lands the people have never visited, so they fire government safety inspectors, experienced prosecutors, and life-long experts in the programs their Congress has funded.

They find that their military, already the most lushly and exorbitantly funded on earth, will be needed to maintain an aggressive international posture, so they work to eliminate any government role in safety nets for their vulnerable citizens.

And of course they want to eliminate checks and balances and any other restraints on their rule, so they conduct their takeover through executive orders, without consulting or respecting the wishes of the electorate, as reflected in decades of Congressional decisions.

Then, lastly, they fear that their tax cuts for billionaires might not really be big enough, so they slash programs that help the most vulnerable people worldwide.

Thank goodness we don’t live in such a dystopian moral bankruptcy.
Charles Gessert
Duluth, Minnesota

Show up

Folks, how do we stop our feelings of depression, loneliness, and powerlessness in this chaotic time? We are under the impression that we have no power, only the rich and greedy have it. Keep us in a place of fear and despair, we do lose our power. However, if we understand that the darkness can never overpower the light and the light is kindness, compassion and love, we then realize that we are more powerful than one can imagine. It is time for all of us to show up with our power blazing.  It is our time to act but not from a place of fear and despair.  We must not allow ourselves to be divided on nonsense issues. Choose to stay off social media, ‘entertainment’ news, or anything else that brings you to despair.  We must shine our light on the darkness of greed and revenge. Staying in kindness, love, and compassion make us strong. Darkness can’t survive when your bright light of truth, justice, and kindness show up. Each of us can do something to make a difference. Our daily small acts of love add up to massive amounts of explosive energy. Meditation, prayer, creative imaging, and peaceful protest all create a high vibration that they can’t control. These simple acts will keep you empowered. Hopefulness rises when we come together as a community of love and we don’t all have to believe in the same things to be in a supportive community. We know intuitively that we are ALL ONE. What we do to another, we are doing to ourselves. All our religions and spiritual practices say to love one another. Keep this attitude forefront and you will overcome any loneliness and powerlessness you might be experiencing. Breathe deep when you start feeling anxious. Dwell in gratitude if panic overtakes you. If we all show up, we can create Peace on Earth. The dark secrets of the present powers will not survive in the light. Let us all SHOW UP UNITED in love.
Barb Tacyshyn-Roth
Moose Lake

Coincidence?

This is a list compiled by the owner of propagandaprofessor.com, a blog which teaches its readers how to recognize and respond to propaganda and respond to it.
I just want to add this statement – we have not yet seen Trump murder anyone or call for the executions of his political enemies; however, the adage says that “absolute power corrupts absolutely,” so that chance always exists. 
I should also add that only Hitler is Hitler, and Trump is Trump; however, this list of similarities between Trump’s policies and Hitler’s policies may not produce the same kind of State. However, surely the similarities between Hitler’s total command of Germany, and the so far unstoppable rule of Trump, are now creating some very scary and serious similarities between Trump’s playbook and Hitler’s to our former Democracy. So if we believe in freedom of thought, speech, and a government concerned with the well-being of all of us, we had better sit up, take notice, and then help prevent the commandeering of every American’s ideals and patriotic heartfelt Values.

So, please, Democrats and all patriotic Republicans, let’s make some changes that might turn back this foul-smelling tidal wave called DOGE! We are all basically the same, and any one of us can be hypnotized by rhetoric which promises to bring about everyone’s dreams of being an American. And make no mistake, Trump is now ordering the Smithsonian Institute to remove exhibits that have “un-American themes.” So if you’re anxious about who is going to define what defines “real Americans,” that’s a good sign and a good place to start.

Maybe it’s all just a coincidence…
Nazis wanted to “make Germany great again.”; Republicans want to “make America great again.”
Nazis said “Germany over all;’ Republicans say “America first”(a slogan specifically coined to promote white nationalism).
Nazis proclaimed themselves patriots, and branded their opponents unpatriotic; Republicans proclaim themselves patriots and brand their opponents unpatriotic.
Nazis targeted Jews, characterizing them as dangerous and dirty; Republicans target immigrants, characterizing them as dangerous and dirty.
Nazis exhibited unwavering and unquestioning loyalty and obedience for a central figure; Republicans exhibit unwavering and unquestioning loyalty and obedience to a central figure.
Nazis loved guns and glorified violence; ditto Republicans.
Nazis ridiculed displays of empathy; ditto Republicans.
 Nazis claimed to be doing the work of God; ditto Republicans.
Nazis railed against the “lying press” for criticizing them; Republicans rail against the “fake news” and the “liberal media” for criticizing them.
Nazis had black armbands; Republicans have red hats.
Nazis banned and burned books; Republicans ban and sometimes burn books.
Nazis supported the death penalty; Republicans support the death penalty.
Nazis persecuted gays and trans-genders; ditto Republicans.
Nazis emphasized “traditional” family structure and gender roles; ditto Republicans.
Nazis banned abortion; Republicans are banning abortion.
Nazis claimed that universities were indoctrinating students with anti-German sentiments; Republicans claim that universities, high schools, junior highs, middle schools, grade schools, elementary schools, kindergartens, daycares, and cartoons are indoctrinating kids with anti-American sentiments.
Nazis distrusted scientists, artists and intellectuals; ditto Republicans.
Nazis stoked fears of a communist threat and labeled people they didn’t like as communists; ditto Republicans.
Nazis meddled in elections, and accused their opponents of fraud; ditto Republicans.
And let me add my own two cents’ worth, (those of us who understand what’s going on can’t help but be alarmed). Didn’t lose the elections over the economy, Biden lost because of the incessant drumbeat that vilified democrats and Latinos as being public enemies one and two!
Peter Johnson
Superior, Wisconsin