Apparently Republicans are trying to take away women’s right to vote again.

At least that’s the bullshit being shoveled around about the SAVE America Act.

The current panic is that married women changed their names, their birth certificates have their maiden names, and therefore tens of millions of women supposedly won’t be able to register to vote. Rep. Lauren Underwood has even claimed nearly 69 million women would “no longer be eligible to vote.”

There’s just one tiny fucking problem.

The bill specifically addresses this.

If your citizenship document has your previous name, the legislation provides a process for matching it to your current identity, including supporting documentation or an affidavit stating that the old name is yours.

It doesn’t even have to say the word marriage. The provision covers anyone whose citizenship document shows a previous name, which is exactly the situation of every woman who took her husband’s surname.

So apparently Republicans concocted a secret plan to stop married women from voting… and then put instructions in the goddamn bill explaining how women whose names changed can register.

Brilliant supervillains.

And then comes the obvious question: Why can’t you just use your driver’s license?

Because a driver’s license proves you’re allowed to drive. It doesn’t necessarily prove you’re an American citizen.

Legal noncitizens have always been able to obtain licenses, and today 19 states plus Washington, D.C. allow unauthorized immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses or driving-privilege cards.

So think about the absurdity here.

Politicians supported policies allowing people who aren’t citizens … including people here illegally … to receive state driver’s licenses. Then when someone proposes requiring actual proof of citizenship to register for federal elections, suddenly we’re told it’s outrageous that a driver’s license isn’t sufficient proof of citizenship.

Well… you made damn sure it wasn’t.

You can oppose the SAVE America Act. Argue that citizenship documentation creates unnecessary bureaucracy. Argue that noncitizen voting is already illegal and rare. Argue that the cure is worse than the disease.

Fine. Make that argument.

But stop telling women Republicans are taking away their right to vote because they got married and changed their last name.

They aren’t. The fucking legislation specifically accounts for it.

At this point, anyone still screaming that “69 million women are losing their voting rights” either hasn’t bothered to read the legislation they’re furious about…

or they’re desperately hoping you haven’t.