Letter to the editor: Orwell Was Right: The Politics of Making Voting Harder
Dear George, you’ve been on my mind a lot lately. “1984” is comin round the mountain. The dark years of 1946-48 when you penned the book, has hit 2025-26.
Word is “Trump says Republicans would “never” be elected again if it was easier to vote.” Guardian “Trump says he won’t sign any bills until the SAVE Act passes the Senate.” NBC News March 2026.
The SAVE Act passed the U.S. House with all Pennsylvania Republicans voting yes — They are (Rob Bresnahan, Ryan Mackenzie, Brian Fitzpatrick, and Scott Perry who might lose their seats), Dan Meuser, Lloyd Smucker, John Joyce, Guy Reschenthaler, Glenn Thompson and Mike Kelly.
The SAVE Act is the continuation of scheming, unnecessary drama, creating a problem that elections have voter fraud. A farcical novel of the Republican Party that has been pushed by the Right Wing for years. The SAVE Act doesn’t protect the American voter, and doesn’t protect democracy, it undermines it.
The SAVE Act requires (2) very specific (only accepted) ID’s to register to vote. Physical proof of citizenship using a birth certificate or valid passport at the time people register.
Very interesting, there are about 69 million American women who have taken their spouse’s name which will not match their birth certificate. Ladies juggle it, find it, can it even be corrected?
In addition, one half of Americans don’t have a passport.
The SAVE Act over hauls on line & mail-in voting, requires states to submit their voter rolls to DHS with no restrictions on how they use it, and election officials could even face criminal penalties.
There is so much more in the bill.
Voting fraud has been tracked by political scientists for years. In Pennsylvania, election protections are already in place.
The Brennan Center for Justice argues the SAVE Act is “a voter suppression tactic.”
Republicans hear this, some of us actually read, care about the Constitution, including separation of powers and will never, ever, be without a spine in order to keep our democracy, ruled by the people.
Debra Becker
Chestnuthill Township