Editor’s note: What’s worse, the Russians messing with our elections or us letting our guard down on the right to vote? Your thoughts follow. Don’t forget to write us at letters@dailysignal.com—Ken McIntyre

Dear Daily Signal: A person who loses a local election by a few votes may never become the next mayor, then governor, then senator, and so on.

You get the idea. Elections can have far-reaching, difficult-to-identify consequences, as Jason Snead and Taylor Chaffetz suggest in their commentary, “Instances of Voter Fraud Mount, Further Compromising Our Elections.”

Someone who votes without eligibility, because a local or state authority decides it’s too much trouble to enforce the law—or, more insidiously, decides illegal voters will throw the election in a direction they prefer—is damaging the very democracy supposedly being defended.

Voters already see elections, in all too many instances, as being a pointless waste of time, because politicians all too often make decisions based on the will of those who provided money to their campaigns, not the will of those who cast their votes for that politician.

A lot of money is at stake, at all levels of the process, corrupting the decisions of voters, donors, and politicians. Allowing illegal voting by failure to enforce the law, or by intent to circumvent the law, has real world benefits for those who gain by it.

Not only should voter ID laws be enacted and enforced, but punishments should be sufficient to deter those who engage in improper voting from seeking to do so. Few now ever are pursued, fewer ever are punished, and the punishment rarely is more than a minimal slap on the wrist.

Truly, the downside to illegal voting activities is nearly nonexistent. The upside is so enticing to those who profit from it that one only can wonder why it isn’t far more prevalent—or is it?—Michael Bowler

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Thank you for the wonderfully written article. So true. We have a hard-won right to vote in elections. It should not be taken lightly, and we should have to show proof of identity to cast that ballot. Too much is at stake to not do so. Illegal voting is a discredit to our system and to our nation.—Tonie Lesia Dalton

Why is it not discrimination to require a photo ID to cash a check, get a library card, buy a car, buy a gun, get a passport, board a plane, buy cigarettes or liquor, and numerous other everyday activities, but is the height of evil against minorities to require the same to vote?

Do the Democrats think so little of minorities that they believe they would be unable to procure identification to vote? And leftists accuse conservatives of being racist?

Racism is treating minorities like children who aren’t able to function in society. Every welfare program the Dems push furthers the (untrue) notion that minorities can’t function without government assistance, and this includes requiring photo identification in order to vote. Once again, the Dems prove they are the party of hate and racism.—Teresa Barrett

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It is past time that all voter rolls be checked to be sure that no illegal or ineligible people are on the rolls. Especially in Illinois, where the Cook County rolls have not been checked for invalid voters.—Jim Bahen

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Vote early, vote often is not a joke. It is a mission statement of the Democrats.—David Gearhart

Trump Revisits Remarks in Helsinki

Dear Daily Signal: I enjoyed Fred Lucas’s piece on the Trump-Putin meeting in Helsinki (“Trump Not Clear on Whether He Believes Putin or U.S. Intelligence on Election Meddling“). I think it’s easy to assume the Russians, and Vladimir Putin in particular, pretty much lie about everything because that’s there MO.

Whether it’s business, politics, or government relations, they show a tendency to stretch the truth. When I was much younger, I thought that at least some of our government agencies were more likely to be truthful than not. Time and reality have eroded that “trust,” and because of the actions of the FBI, DOJ, NSA, CIA, EPA and many other alphabet agencies over the past few years, but mostly because of the past 18 months, I have no more trust in them than I do the Russian government.

You don’t get to lie incessantly and retain credibility. So I fully understand President Trump’s statements that on one hand he “wants” to believe his own “lying” (my words here, not his) intelligence agencies, but on the other hand can’t dismiss the possibility that Putin is telling a partial truth.

Who has lied more in the past 18 months? Putin doesn’t hide his motives. He is out to rejuvenate the USSR, which he thinks is incapable of greatness without him at the lead. Everything he does is consistent with that.

Trump is out to make America great again. That was his stated objective, and everything he does is consistent with that theme.

The U.S. alphabet agencies have been lying incessantly to us and misrepresenting their actions in the public arena. They say Trump and Putin are colluding and are liars. Sorry, I’m not buying it. They have zero credibility.

I don’t fault Trump one bit for not coming out and accusing the Russians of messing with our elections. Where’s the proof? Is it the same quality of “proof” that they have against Trump?

I wouldn’t believe anything they said without a full investigation of the supposed evidence they are putting forth. And this time the investigation has to be done by Washington outsiders from the deplorable hinterlands.

Sorry to rant, but I’m sick of the Beltway. No intended offense to Fred Lucas, The Daily Signal, or the people at The Heritage Foundation, who somehow seem to manage much more civility and honesty than most.

That includes me—more times than I like to admit. Keep up the excellent work.—Hank Kuchta

Dear Daily Signal: This is pretty easy for me (“Trump’s Russia Reset: He Says He Misspoke on Election Interference”). Did President Trump say the right thing? No. Do I accept his explanation? Actually, yes, I do. Been there, done that. People misspeak.

But there’s another fact and very important to me as a conservative. Hillary Clinton didn’t win.

I look at the radical left knowing that what passed as the Democratic Party when I was younger no longer exists. Replacing it is an entity I can’t really figure out.

Somewhere in the message I’m hearing is America no longer exists. Does it bother me? Yes, it does. America does indeed exist as a great country I’m proud to call home.

President Trump has said several times that Russia—and he believes, others—meddled in the election. Since he said and reiterated it more than once, I’m good with it.

Was there collusion? The Justice Department said there was no American involvement when the indictments of 12 Russians were handed down.

The Trump administration has taken several strong actions against Russia and has advanced other conservative issues. I’m not going to let Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters, or the movement of the new hard shift-to-the-left faction of the Democratic Party dictate the course of the United States of America.—Lee Thompson

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That is one of the funniest things I’ve ever heard. How colossally stupid Trump must think we all are. Of course he meant “would.” If he meant “wouldn’t,” it would have contradicted everything he’s been saying for a year and a half, and everything else he said during that press conference.—Edward Buatois, Cleveland

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Still waiting, after all these years, for the media critiques of President Obama for his “misstatements” such as claiming to have visited “57 states” during the campaign. Or, in 2008, when then-presidential candidate Obama was being interviewed by George Stephanopoulos, and said “my Muslim faith.”—Sandy Kramer

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Trump is no politician. He is a businessman. Politicians never say, “Oh, I misspoke.” They just blow more smoke up your backside and deny everything. Businessmen, and women, admit their mistakes and then correct them.—Jeffy Pearson

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It took three days for the pompous former king, I mean president, to spew his scripted negative comments (“Conservative Lawmakers Say Trump’s Actions, Not Words, Key in Dealings With Putin”). His canned performances while in office should have been given the same micromanaged analysis by the “professionals” for his disdain for what is American and America.—Marty Miller

American Women Apparently Live Dangerously

Dear Daily Signal: The list of the 10 most dangerous nations for women is nothing more than a propaganda tool to advance a particular agenda (“Experts Rank US in Top 10 Most Dangerous Countries for Women—Almost as Bad as Nigeria”). As such, it should be ignored at the very least, or denounced and derided, as Kelsey Harkness has done in her commentary here.

The left has gone mad, drunk on the consequences of seeing everything through the lens of political correctness. This agitprop from the Thomas Reuters Foundation is just the latest example of the insanity.—Gerald Arcuri

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If the U.S. is that bad, why are women risking their lives to come to the U.S. from Central American countries, passing through Mexico, which is not on the list?—Brian Adair, Greenwood, S.C.

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This is the stupidest story I’ve read in a long, long time.—David Johnson

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There is not a rational woman who would believe this childish nonsense, but there are a lot of irrational people who will. —Andrew Cole

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Muslim women under Sharia are oppressed worldwide, yet we don’t hear boo from the phony U.S. feminists, including the megahypocrite Linda Sarsour. Never have, never will.—Charles Martel

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Guess we can’t bring up countries like Germany and Sweden and the rest of Europe, where so-called refugees rape women daily and get away with it. But that wouldn’t fit into this liberal agenda of ignoring aspects of a peaceful religion where genital mutilation is still done, honor killings are still done, and pigs and dogs are treated better than women. Sounds like somebody is putting out a bogus report.—Jeffy Pearson

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The right to make assertions does not include the right to be taken seriously even if one claims to be an expert.—William Kernan

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If you consider the number of aborted females, they may be correct. Of course, that is not what they are doing.—Theresa Pearson

Dear Daily Signal: Kevin Mooney’s article gave me the news that the mainstream media would not think of publishing (“Government Employee Who Beat Unions at Supreme Court Sees End to Their ‘Free Ride’”).

I am a life member of the National Education Association. I joined around 1971, thinking I was helping the cause of professionalism and the betterment of education for our children. It did not take me long to discover that I had joined the world’s largest communist organization.

They are not interested in my voice. In fact, they quit communicating with me after I turned 65 in 2007. So much for a life membership.

I just read about the National Education Association’s giving its Human and Civil Rights Award to Colin Kaepernick, Michelle Obama, LGBT activist Chris Sgro, and several others. What a wonderful organization to represent teachers.

The NEA does not want to represent me. It is much like AARP, which takes dues from its members and “represents” them in Washington by pushing the agendas that line the pockets of those who run the organization.

The teacher Mooney quoted was accurate in her statement. For years, the NEA has sought to destroy our society through abuse of our children and youth—beginning with the unborn.—John Guess, Roland, Ark.

More Thoughts on Illegal Immigration

Dear Daily Signal: Living as I do in the West Village of New York City, one of the acknowledged strongholds of the Democratic Party, I read with interest Fred Lucas’s article, “Fact-Checking 4 Claims About Detaining Children at the Border.”

I find it despicable in a republic that we can’t have a relatively nonpartisan media working hardily—rather than hardly working—to honestly educate the public rather than, say, to pander to their owner/employer’s every wish. Thank you for your worthwhile endeavors.—John Early, New York City

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Couldn’t Congress work more closely with President Trump when it comes to immigration by encouraging and promoting the entry into our country of those legal immigrants who already have been officially vetted; have dotted all their I’s and crossed all their T’s; and have waited countless years in line to be able to legally enter?

They are the immigrants who respect the rule of law and, by example, teach their children to do the same. Yes, this should happen always at the expense of those who try to enter this country illegally, making a mockery of our laws and gobbling up our hard-earned taxpayers’ money. America is our country, not theirs.—Carol Polzin, Minnesota

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The simplistic commentary by David Inserra and Georgia Cline fails to mention that 42 percent of the illegals are overstaying their visas (“To Strengthen Security and Improve Ties to Friendly Countries, US Should Expand Visa Waiver Program”). The visa wavier program is broken.

You can look at the U.K. to see what would happen if Poland is added to the visa wavier program.—David Smith

Nolan Peterson in Ukraine

Dear Daily Signal: In response to Nolan Peterson’s commentary on Ukraine, socialism lives in a rainbow-and-flowers world (“In the Trenches of the War in Ukraine, I See History Repeating Itself”). As Europe moves more into the dream state, and Russian President Vladimir Putin bolsters Syria, Iran, and now Turkey with its dreams of  a new Ottoman Empire, the wake-up call has been rung.

The world’s dictators just bide their time. We have taken freedom for granted.—Kathleen Palmer

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We aren’t paying enough attention. Meanwhile, most of Europe wants socialism and the money goes there, and their military forces get smaller and smaller. Putin and his generals will do whatever they think they can get away with.—William Carlton Curtis, Havelock, N.C.

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The European Union has lots of problems that people don’t like to talk about. Their solution: Throw money at it.

As we all know, this rarely works. What we forgot are all the other problems it creates.—Brad Onstott

Bolling Bounces Back

Dear Daily Signal: Thanks so much to Ginny Montalbano for the interview with Eric Bolling (“Eric Bolling Is Back: An Exclusive First Look at His New Show”). I have been wondering about him ever since he left Fox News Channel.

So happy for him. I am not very techy, and have not heard of CRTV. Will check it out. Thank you for your great contribution to our great country.—Ginnie Stough

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Wow. Eric Bolling’s “AMericA” show sounds great. Missed him.—Dinah Neville

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We miss Eric Bolling on Fox. Good luck to him.—Jeanne Havrilla, Portage, Ind.

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Nothing but the best to Bolling and for his broadcast future. We all know that “everyone can be replaced,” but he was a standout and Fox will not be the same.—Dave Bechtold, Saint Cloud, Minn.

This and That 

Dear Daily Signal: This health care plan seems like a good start, according to Robert Moffit’s commentary (“Trump’s New Health Initiative Will Spell Relief for Americans”). But why are the Dems continuing with their never-ending political fuss about Obamacare?

Politicians learned from Social Security how to create a mess and look good doing it. The result was Obamacare. Another government failure.—Cris Baker

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Here’s something that can be done to stop the fake news and left-leaning media from not reporting the facts in an unbiased way. Replace the Federal Communications Commission with good people.

Then get them to revoke the licenses for all the media that won’t report the news accurately and fairly. This sounds so simple, but I know that it is not.

You can get the fake news for free, but you have to pay for all the news that reports fairly. The poor can’t afford to pay, so the left has control of them. This is socialism, and should be eliminated from this country.—Gordon Humphrey

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Brett Schaefer’s commentary article, “US Makes the Right Call to Quit UN Human Rights Council,” is great, but somehow needed to include this fact: The only way our leaving the council will be effective is if when we leave we take a proportionate amount of monetary support with us. That is all the U.N. needs us for.—Joe Marco, Tucson, Ariz.

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I applaud President Trump’s plan to streamline the government, as reported by Fred Lucas (“Here’s How Trump Wants to Streamline Government“). However, many of the “tentacles” that have been created are unconstitutional.

We should eliminate them, starting with the Department of Education, and return the educational system to the states and to individual families. It may be a way to scrap Common Core (a UNESCO creation for Marxist globalism).—Fiorella Weaver

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Excellent article by Ken McIntyre about Elena Kagan and Brett Kavanaugh and the Supreme Court (“Justice Elena Kagan’s Scholarly Connection With Brett Kavanaugh”). So well written.

I wish more people would enjoy reading articles like this, so they could understand people can get along no matter which side of the aisle they’re on. And it’s about respect for each other.—Christine Paul

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Rob Bluey’s interview with author Marc Morano is the most succinct and necessary explanation of climate change (“Q&A: The Politically Incorrect Book That Debunks Climate Change Myths“). It is huge.

This interview needs to be given to PTAs, parents, and Scouting groups. The piece is a miracle. Thank you for a wonderful presentation that fits the needs of every age of citizens.—Janet Nelson, Bellevue, Wash.

Jeremiah Poff helped to compile this column.