By Jarrett Stepman

Democrats intend to save “democracy” by putting themselves in charge of elections.

As absurd as that sounds, it really is a part of the inappropriately named “For the People Act of 2019,” or H.R. 1, moving through the House of Representatives.

The Heritage Foundation created a list of the law’s provisions, which you can read here. The Conservative Action Project also provided this quick rundown of the bill:

• Forces states to implement mandatory voter registration, removing civic participation as a voluntary choice, and increasing chances for error.

• Mandates that states allow all felons to vote.

• Forces states to extend periods of early voting, which has shown to have no effect on turnout.

• Mandates same-day voter registration, which encourages voter fraud.

• Limits the ability of states to cooperate to see who is registered in multiple states at the same time.

• Prohibits election observers from cooperating with election officials to file formal challenges to suspicious voter registrations.

• Criminalizes protected political speech by making it a crime to “discourage” someone from voting.

• Bars states from making their own laws about voting by mail.

• Prohibits chief election officials in each state from participating in federal election campaigns.

• Mandates free mailing of absentee ballots.

• Mandates that states adopt new redistricting commissions.

The bill is more or less a grab bag of progressive priorities, much like the “Green New Deal.”

Like the misguided movement to abolish the Electoral College, H.R. 1, in the name of democracy, takes a blow torch to the concepts federalism and self-government enshrined in our Constitution.

As the above summary makes clear, H.R. 1 has numerous provisions that would undermine free speech rights, upend the way America conducts elections, encourage voter fraud, and turn election oversight into little more than a partisan weapon to bludgeon foes.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who seems to have …read more

From:: Daily Signal – Feed

By Rob Bluey

On today’s podcast, we’re featuring an exclusive interview with Mark Morgan, who was chief of the U.S. Border Patrol under President Barack Obama. Now Morgan is speaking out in favor of President Donald Trump’s border wall. Find out why on today’s show.

Also on today’s show:

• We’re celebrating Presidents Day, or what rightfully should be called George Washington’s Birthday. Listen to a timeless speech from President Ronald Reagan from Feb. 22, 1982.
• Your letters to the editor. Next week your letter could be featured on our show; write us at moc.l1550932827angis1550932827yliad1550932827@sret1550932827tel1550932827 or call 202-608-6205

The Daily Signal podcast is available on the Ricochet Audio Network. You also can listen on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app. All of our podcasts can be found at DailySignal.com/podcasts.

If you like what you hear, please leave a review or give us feedback. Enjoy the show!

The post Podcast: Obama’s Border Patrol Chief Explains Why Walls Work appeared first on The Daily Signal.

…read more

From:: Daily Signal – Feed

By Thomas Spoehr

MUNICH—The annual Munich Security Conference opened Friday with the largest U.S. delegation in the five decades of its history. The conference has grown into one of the leading forums for discussion of international issues.

Included in the list of participants for the 2019 conference are numerous heads of state, among them German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, and Egyptian President
Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

Many countries are represented by their foreign or defense ministers, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen.

In total, over 450 individuals attended the invitation-only event at the posh Hotel Bayerischer Hof in the old city center of Munich. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of stern-looking polizei surround the hotel, discouraging passersby from loitering.

Headlining the U.S. delegation are Vice President Mike Pence, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. Also present are President Donald Trump’s special advisers, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.

As The Heritage Foundation’s representative, I am here to attend the Losaich Group meeting, an annual gathering on the sidelines between the George C. Marshall Center, a Defense Department regional security center, and the Munich Security Conference. It focuses on enhancing the security partnership between the U.S. and Germany while promoting an enduring strategic dialogue between these essential partners.

Pence gave a strong opening address Friday. After mentioning some accomplishments of the Trump administration, he called on members of NATO to meet the goal for defense spending, saying that “many of our NATO allies still need to do more.”

And he’s right. As Heritage’s 2019 Index of U.S. Military Strength points out, only five of 29 NATO countries meet the standard to spend 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense. However, there …read more

From:: Daily Signal – Feed

By Ken McIntyre

Editor’s note: Border security and the president’s power to declare a national emergency to address it—as he did Friday—remain major concerns for The Daily Signal’s audience. This week’s selection of comments reflects that. Write us at moc.l1550932827angis1550932827yliad1550932827@sret1550932827tel1550932827.—Ken McIntyre

Dear Daily Signal: As a counselor in a prison, I could not count the number of inmates I’ve had to interview in Spanish, and in other languages as well (“4 Things to Know About Trump’s Ability to Declare an Emergency to Build a Wall”).

America became mighty because its citizens followed an “I can do it myself” ideology. They also learned another ideology: “Together, we can do anything.”

Later immigrants coming to America seemed to be cut from that same mold. Present-day immigrants are fleeing their nations because they lack this discipline. Instead they come to the USA seeking free things that they couldn’t or wouldn’t provide for themselves.

Previous to modern times, immigrants came promising that they would not be dependent on anyone. These new illegal immigrants refuse even to learn the language spoken by the majority of our nation.

On entry, the invader goes to the government and says, “House me, feed me, clothe me. Speak to me only in my native tongue, and give me money to spend.”

They settle into communities that speak their native language.

Twenty years later, they are still in their group, speaking their native language, getting food and housing and even medical and clothing expenses from the government. Their children still speak the language of their parents, and likely went to a school that let them.

This is the modern immigrant. Churches and other charity groups felt they were acting as good Samaritans for all those 20 years.

The law states that immigrants will care for themselves and not get government assistance until they become citizens. They cannot expect every American to …read more

From:: Daily Signal – Feed