I'm not an optimist, per se. But when it comes to America, I'm an upbeat patriot. I believe wholeheartedly in Americans, the greatness of this country and the strength of our democratic republic – especially when it comes to elections.

But I might be alone in this. According to a March NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll, Americans' confidence in fair elections has actually dropped: 34% of Americans have little or no confidence in their elections, up from 24% since 2024.

This is why it's so disappointing to see Congress fail over and over to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, also known as the SAVE Act or the SAVE America Act. It's so simple, I can't believe it's not the law already. It would require "in person" documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. Concerns that it would make voting difficult for married women or other groups of people, because documentation is hard to acquire, are overblown.

Voter ID standards aren't even controversial in other countries.

President Donald Trump, elected by the people in an unprecedented victory, is pushing hard for it. Americans in both parties overwhelmingly support requiring voters to show government-issued photo identification, yet Congress continues to stall with no resolution.

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