Colorado Democrats on Wednesday voted against a measure requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to vote in federal elections that was part of a six-month government funding bill.
U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen called it a “radical agenda,” while U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse called it a political game, which could be said about every single vote taken in Congress.
The continuing resolution (CR) to fund government failed on a 202-220 vote with only three Democrats in support and 14 Republicans in opposition.
Passing so-called continuing resolutions and threatening government shutdowns is how Congress has funded government operations since 1996 instead of passing appropriation bills for each agency.
Which brings us to why 14 Republicans voted no on this CR, including U.S. Reps. Doug Lamborn and Lauren Boebert.
Several Republicans including those in the Freedom Caucus have vowed to no longer vote in support of these stop-gap funding measures.
From a fiscally conservative viewpoint, it is an admirable stance. It’s just not a realistic one.
The only Colorado Republican to vote in favor of the bill was temporary Congressman Greg Lopez, who’s filling in the term vacated by former Congressman Ken Buck who most assuredly would have voted no.
Congress has until Oct. 1 to pass a government spending bill, so it’s not like they’re shutting it down tomorrow.
Republicans are serious about the voter identification measure attached to the bill, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE Act.
Yet this measure was also a tactic to get Democrats in competitive reelection campaigns like Yadira Caraveo in the 8th District on the record taking a position on voter ID before the critical November election.
She voted against the measure, but declined to explain her position to her voters.
But there was Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold weighing in for attention, calling it a conspiracy theory that noncitizens would dare vote in a U.S. election.
After all, the voter registration forms mailed to noncitizens for them to fill out and return tells them not to fill it out and return if they are not U.S. citizens.
Capiche?
The honor system should be enough, Democrats like Griswold insist.
Just like we use the honor system to sell alcohol and marijuana without ID, hand out credit cards, allow folks to travel on airplanes without ID, or check out books from the local library.
But seriously, identification is required in this country to apply for a job, rent a house, collect welfare, or even adopt a pet.
Speaker Johnson’s irresponsible attempt to make government funding dependent on election conspiracies failed today. Johnson’s and Trump’s efforts to cast doubt on our elections is not just reckless, it’s dangerous.
— Jena Griswold (@JenaGriswold) September 19, 2024
And yet, Griswold’s office has never conducted an audit to determine whether non-citizens have cast ballots in previous elections.
If migrants must show ID to apply for asylum in the U.S., why is it so wrong they be asked to produce the same ID before casting a ballot for president, as well as everyone else who votes?