Marjorie Taylor Greene's proposed "Making American Elections Great Again" Act is a blatant attack on the fundamental principles of our democracy. By excluding non-citizens from the Census count used to apportion congressional representation, it directly contradicts the 14th Amendment's mandate that seats be allocated based on the "whole number of persons" residing in each state.
This unconstitutional provision would shift political power away from diverse urban areas toward whiter, more rural states, disproportionately harming communities of color. Even Republican strongholds like Texas and Florida, with their substantial immigrant populations, would lose seats in Congress and the Electoral College under this undemocratic scheme.
Moreover, the bill's requirement for documentary proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections is a solution to the virtually non-existent problem of non-citizen voting fraud, serving only to erect unnecessary barriers to the ballot box.
Instead of entertaining such divisive and likely unconstitutional proposals, Congress should prioritize the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. This crucial legislation would restore vital protections against discriminatory voting laws and practices that have been gutted by recent Supreme Court decisions.
Strengthening our democracy demands expanding access to the ballot, not erecting arbitrary barriers based on misinformation and coded appeals to nativism. The MAEGA Act is a transparent attempt to undermine the political power of minority communities under the guise of "election integrity." It deserves unequivocal rejection in favor of measures that truly safeguard every citizen's sacred right to vote.
Our nation's progress has been forged through expanding the franchise, not restricting it. I urge you to stand on the right side of history by opposing Greene's proposal and championing the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
First sent on July 20 by Coleman
