Tag: U.S. House of Representatives

Let’s have the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, Dear Congressman

I have written about my Congressman before, and it has never been complimentary. It is not positive in today’s post. I try to keep an open mind, but I will be surprised if I ever have anything good to say about him.

What is my latest criticism of him? He doesn’t quite tell the truth when it comes to the SAVE America Act. The SAVE America Act passed in the U.S. House of Representatives and has gone to the U.S. Senate.

U.S. Capitol
Photo by Caleb Perez on Unsplash

When my Congressman and most of the champions of the SAVE America Act try to summarize it, they say it is “just” voter ID. There is more there than meets the eye, though.

The SAVE America Act, if passed by the U.S. Senate as written for the House and, subsequently, signed into law by the President (which is a given), will require voters to show proof of U.S. citizenship.

My Congressman is proud to be a co-sponsor of the SAVE America Act. And now, to get to the title of today’s blog post, I will quote from Representative Mark Harris’ weekly email from February 14, 2026:

“Americans are required to show ID to board an airplane, open a bank account, and even enter Costco. So why are Democrats making a fuss over applying the same standard to federal elections?” He went on to call this “common sense.”

Photo by Marcus Reubenstein on Unsplash

There is simply something wrong with Mr. Harris’ paragraph: He is conflating a birth certificate with a Costco membership card. I have a Costco membership card, and I did not have to prove I was born in the United States to get it.

Mr. Harris made a serious mistake when he wrote, “applying the same standard to federal elections.” The examples he gave do not require the same standard (proof of U.S. citizenship) but we are heading toward a national requirement to have proof of citizenship in order to vote.

There is nothing wrong with that on the surface. I do not think non-citizens should vote. I also do not think more than a handful of non-citizens try to vote in the U.S. The proponents of the SAVE America Act are wielding it as a solution to a problem that does not exist.

The SAVE America Act is its proponents’ way of making it more difficult for poor and disabled people to vote. It adds unnecessary “hoops” for voters to jump through. For instance, if your current name does not match your birth certificate you must provide additional documentation to prove that you are the individual named on your birth certificate. If you don’t have easy access to transportation, gathering all your documentation and taking it to designated government offices is a burden.

I’ll let you in on a little secret… this requirement that you need to prove why you no longer go by your birth name is primarily a problem for married women. How many married women do you know who did not change their name when they got married? How many married men do you know who changed their name when they got married? I rest my case.

This will also cause anyone who was adopted to have to produce additional documentation.

To quote one of my Facebook friends, “this fuss the Democrats are making about the SAVE America Act is much ado about nothing.”  She went on to explain that “it only costs $165 to get a passport.” She obviously trusts the Trump Regime. I don’t.

I was born in the United States to American citizens. At one time, I had a U.S. passport. A passport proves citizenship. I let my passport expire and have had no reason to spend $165 to apply for a new one. That amount of money is not easy for me to come by. I am not alone in that situation. It is impossible for wealthy members of Congress and wealthy citizens to imagine that.

I recently had to renew my driver’s license. To get a “Real ID,” I had to take my birth certificate, my expiring driver’s license, and two utility bills addressed to me at my current address to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

I tried to get an appointment at the DMV in October, but the first available appointment within 100 miles of my home was on December 31. True story. Perhaps it isn’t like that in your state, but that was my experience. My only option was to go to a DMV office, stand in line for hours, and be seen after everyone with an appointment had been seen – or be told to try again the next day. My health does not allow me to stand outside for hours, especially in the winter.

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

It remains to be seen if my “Real ID” will suffice to prove that I am qualified to vote in November 2026 or November 2028. This is an issue every American needs to pay close attention to as it works its way through the legislative branch of our federal government.

Janet

The government should be afraid of its citizens, not the other way around.

In case you were getting optimistic about the U.S. Congress…

In case you were getting optimistic about the U.S. Congress (and let me be clear, I have no idea why you would have been), let me share with you a portion of the email I received on Saturday from the man who “represents” my district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

I said “from the man who ‘represents’ my district” because I cannot say “from the man who represents ME in the U.S. House of Representatives.” He does not represent me in any way, shape, or form.

Photo of dark clouds over the dome of the US Capitol Building
The United States Capitol
Photo by Kyle Mills on Unsplash

His hate-filled newsletters and emails do not reflect any of my core values, even though he is a preacher. In fact, that makes his name-calling and prejudiced statements seem that much more vile.

I know from my experience working in local government that electing a minister to a county commission or city council can go sour very quickly. The U.S. Congress is no different. Politics brings out the worst traits in people.

There is an important reason why our country was founded on the idea of separation of church and state. It’s part of the First Amendment – you know, that Amendment that was openly attacked last week by the Trump Administration.

The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America

Back to Mark Harris’ September 22, 2025, email…

The Biden Administration

This is what U.S. Representative Mark Harris remembers from the four years of the Biden Administration: “Under the Biden administration, the FBI spent more time and resources targeting Christians and churches than violent criminals. But the era of weaponizing our justice department is over!”

What is he talking about?

FBI Director Kash Patel

I watched FBI Director Kash Patel appear before the House Judiciary Committee last week. What I saw was a defiant, rude, nervous man fumbling with a hundred little pieces of paper. What I saw was a man who refused to answer “Yes” and “No” questions. I saw a man who lashed out at members of Congress. I saw a man who performed that day for an audience of one on Pennsylvania Avenue.

This is what U.S. Representative Mark Harris saw: “This week, FBI Director Kash Patel appeared before the House Judiciary Committee, and his testimony made one thing clear: law and order have returned. Joe Biden’s FBI targeted parents at school board meetings, Catholics, pro-lifers, and everyday Americans. But President Trump and Kash Patel put an end to all of it!”

In closing

The icing on the cake was the next sentence in Mr. Harris’s email to me: “America is a safer place than it was 9 months ago.”

Why don’t I feel safer?

He feels safe because he is voting the way Trump wants him to vote and he is saying the things Trump wants him to say. He will feel safe until he learns that his loyalty to Trump is not reciprocated. Trump will eventually turn on Mr. Harris because Trump turns on his supporters when he no longer needs them. Isn’t that what mob bosses do?

And why didn’t Mr. Harris address the fact that freedom of speech is under siege in the United States?

“Look, we can do this the easy way or the hard way.” ~ Brandon Carr, Federal Communications Commissioner, September 17, 2025

I guess Mr. Harris wasn’t paying attention on September 17. He was too busy doing Trump’s bidding and basking in his newfound sense of security.

I have emailed Mr. Harris with various concerns. His responses only serve to remind me that he and Dear Leader are right and I am wrong. Nevertheless, I will keep reminding him who he works for and to what document — not to which man — he pledged his allegiance when he took the oath of office.

“No taxation without representation!” It is 1775 all over again.

Janet