Q&A – Trump’s Election Integrity Plans & Budget Reconciliation
Each day I feature a listener question sent by one of these methods.
Email: brianmudd@iheartmedia.com
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Today’s Entry: Today’s note was submitted via Talkback asking about President Trump’s effort to increase voter integrity measures and whether they can be passed with the “one big beautiful” budget reconciliation bill.
Bottom Line: Agenda 47 in Overdrive — Trump’s 20 Core Promises Are Roaring to Life
President Trump’s Agenda 47—his bold blueprint of 20 Core Promises to Make America Great Again—is hitting the ground at warp speed. With a jaw-dropping 89 executive orders within his first 50 days, he’s already tackled most of them, setting a pace that’s rewriting the playbook. But one promise still lingers in the shadows, untouched by meaningful action. Today’s Q&A shines a spotlight on it: Promise #19—securing America’s elections.
Promise #19: An Election Integrity Overhaul
Here’s the gist: Trump wants same-day voting, voter ID, paper ballots, and proof of citizenship. It’s a seismic shift that would impact how most Americans vote—66% of 2024 Presidential Election voters voted early or by mail—and roll out Florida-style election integrity reforms nationwide. Love it or hate it, it’s a plan that’s ambitious.
The State of the Ballot Box
Good news? The 2024 election dodged the integrity chaos of years past—no widespread meltdowns, no viral conspiracies. But don’t pop the champagne yet. Harvard’s Electoral Integrity Project hands the U.S. a measly 71 out of 100, tying us for 37th globally. That’s behind every European nation—and, brace yourself, Gambia. Yes, Gambia outranks us on election integrity. It’s a wake-up call: America can, and must, do better.
Even in 2024’s “smooth” cycle, the cracks showed. There were 22 voter fraud convictions across 16 states—two in Florida alone—and more are likely brewing as legal cases from last year are still being made. Fraud convictions often take a year or more to stick, a reminder that election integrity isn’t a “set it and forget it” deal. Tech evolves, tactics shift, and vigilance matters.
Trump’s Vision vs. Reality
So where’s Promise #19 at? Congress hasn’t touched it—no bill, no buzz. With two-thirds of voters hooked on early voting or mail-in ballots, Trump’s same-day voting push feels like a long shot. But dig deeper, and there’s common ground: Voter ID, proof of citizenship, and paper ballots have serious traction. Pew Research Center says 81% back mandatory voter ID (doubling as a citizenship check), and 82% want paper ballot backups. That’s not just support—that’s a landslide.
A standalone bill with those three reforms? It’d have the public cheering in the streets—or at least me- maybe even enough juice to sway some Democrats who’ve long dodged election integrity talks. But here’s the catch: bundling this into Trump’s budget dreams won’t fly.
The Budget Reconciliation Roadblock
The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 birthed budget reconciliation—a fast-track trick to pass fiscal bills with a simple Senate majority, dodging the 60-vote filibuster wall. It’s limited to three lanes: tweaking the debt limit, revenues, or mandatory spending. Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” in the House is all about cash—tax cuts, ICE funding for mass deportations, you name it. Election integrity? That’s a policy shift, not a fiscal one. It’s off the table for reconciliation.
What’s Next?
Executive orders can’t touch voting laws—Congress has to step up, and that means clearing a 60-vote Senate hurdle. Don’t hold your breath for 2025. If Trump’s serious about this, and history and his early action on the rest of his agenda suggests that he is, it might heat up in year two, maybe as midterm election bait. Or it could stay a state-level fight. Either way, Promise #19’s still a live wire—untamed, untested, and undeniably Trump.