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Voting bill a reckless power grab

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, the chamber’s majority leader, has made it clear: He is desperate to railroad through a so-called voting rights bill that steals from states their right to run elections as specified in the constitution, and forces mandates that will drive the cost of elections higher for taxpayers while increasing the likelihood of fraud in balloting.

This is not about the “big lie” — Donald Trump’s long ago disproved claims that he was elected president in 2020. This is an even bigger lie — insisting that voters are somehow being denied the opportunity to properly cast their ballots.

The so-called For the People Act is less about voters’ rights and more about unwarranted — and constitutionally questionable — federal control over all elections.

If passed, the partisan takeover of election day — which passed the House along strict party lines, 220-210 — would override existing rules passed by states to make their election process fairer and more secure. Among the proposed changes:

• Online and same-day voter registration are required. This means someone — anyone — could slip in a registration over the internet on election day with zero checks and balances to ensure legitimacy.

• Voter ID becomes “Yeah, it’s me.” States would no longer be allowed to require identification, based on the specious claim that it’s racist — despite dozens of other activities that require photo ID that somehow are not tainted by the racist claim.

• Anyone would be allowed to drop off a ballot on someone else’s behalf, which is illegal in Pennsylvania.

Thus far, the Senate’s filibuster rule has prevented the Democrats from forcing this bill through due to the even split between the two parties. But Schumer insists he will suspend the filibuster in an effort to railroad this highly partisan act to the president’s desk.

Thankfully, two Democrats who appear to have more respect for the dignity of the process than Schumer still have a say. West Virginia’s Joe Manchin and Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema both have been skeptical of Schumer’s push, and rightfully so.

As we have discussed in this space before, the issue is not whether the 2020 election outcome was incorrect — it’s about the people’s trust in the system.

A trust that Chuck Schumer seems determined to violate.

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