New Democratic Argument Against SAVE Act Insults Women |
Douglas V. Gibbs ——Bio and Archives--February 11, 2026
Cover Story | CFP Comments | Reader Friendly | Subscribe | Email Us
Opponents of the SAVE Act have settled on a new talking point: requiring proof of citizenship during voter registration will somehow “disenfranchise women,” particularly those who changed their names after marriage. According to this argument, women will be unable to obtain the documents necessary to prove they are citizens.
It is a remarkable claim, not because it is persuasive, but because of what it reveals. Once again, the progressive Democrats who insist they are defending people are actually talking down to them.
Most Americans, including married women, already navigate name changes with competence and regularity. They update their Social Security records, their driver’s licenses, their bank accounts, their insurance, their employment documents, and their tax filings. They manage passports, REAL IDs, and every other form of identification required in modern life. The idea that these same women are suddenly incapable of presenting documentation that reflects a legal name change is not a defense of women. It is an insult to them.
We saw this same rhetorical move during the debates over voter ID laws. Critics claimed that minority voters, particularly Black Americans, would be unable to obtain a basic photo ID. Yet, the overwhelming majority already had one. The........