Trump's SAVE America Act Ultimatum: 71% of Americans Support It. The Senate Is About to Kill It Anyway.
Mark Meadows calls Senate GOP support 'disingenuous at best.' The filibuster isn't the problem — political will is.
The SAVE America Act Hits the Senate Floor — But the Fix May Already Be In
The SAVE America Act — requiring documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote, photo ID to cast a ballot, banning child gender transitions, and barring biological males from women's sports — finally goes to the Senate floor on Tuesday. President Trump has vowed to "NEVER EVER" endorse anyone who opposes it.
There's just one problem: Senate Republican leadership may be setting it up to fail.
The Numbers
The bill is wildly popular. A Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll shows 71% of Americans support the SAVE America Act. 80% want non-citizens removed from voter rolls. 60% call it common sense. 58% say voter fraud exists.
But popularity doesn't matter if Senate rules are used to kill it quietly.
The Filibuster Question
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has promised a "robust debate" — seven to ten days of floor time where Democrats will be forced to explain why they oppose election integrity. But after all the talking, the bill still needs 60 votes for cloture. Democrats won't provide them. And Thune says there's "no appetite" in the Republican conference to change the filibuster rules.
Critics say that's a dodge.
Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told The Federalist the alleged support from some Senate Republicans is "disingenuous at best." He pointed out that a talking filibuster — forcing Democrats to physically hold the floor — doesn't require any rule change. It just requires political will.
"The talking filibuster does not nuke the filibuster process. It doesn't require a change of rules, it just requires you to exercise the rules that have been longstanding and available to the Senate for decades."
The Texas Connection
The SAVE America Act has become a central issue in the Texas Senate primary between John Cornyn and Ken Paxton. Cornyn — who serves in Senate leadership — is under pressure to explain why the filibuster can't be forced on this bill. Paxton is campaigning on changing the rules to get it done. For Texas grassroots voters, it's a litmus test.
The Bottom Line
Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the White House. A bill supported by 71% of Americans is about to die on the Senate floor because of procedural maneuvering. Trump's ultimatum is clear. Meadows' critique is damning. The question grassroots Republicans should be asking their senators: if not now, when?
Sources
• The Federalist: Senate SAVE Act Debate